We know intrinsic motivation is something we’re supposed to aspire to. 

We’ve heard that external recognition should be secondary to our desire to better ourselves and the world around us. Hunger for validation can never be satiated, and our goal should be to feel successful, not to be viewed as successful.

But to get to Northwestern, we needed the grades, the awards and the recommendations. We’ve relied thus far on visible achievement. Now that we’re here, it’s an uphill climb to become intrinsically motivated. Striving to feel proud of ourselves regardless of affirmation goes against what we’ve been trained to do. 

I’ve been contemplating my own desire for validation a lot. As a journalist, my success is defined by whether my articles are read. It hurts when my work is skimmed or skipped. But gauging self-worth by clicks is a slippery slope.

I’m hoping that I’ll feel proud of this article for what it is — my own self-expression, a product of late-night contemplations and lengthy showers, not by how many views it has or whether you agree with me. 

Being accepted into our dream school was the best form of validation we could have received. We spent high school working hard and wondering where we’d end up, and our NU acceptance letters told us we were worthy. Now, it’s essential that we fundamentally rewire our mentality both for our own wellbeing and to enable the risk-taking and maturity that our careers will require.

So why do so many of us still obsess over our grades? There are graduate school applicants, student athletes, scholarship recipients and aspiring investment bankers. But college GPAs often aren’t as consequential as many of us believe.

If we were truly intrinsically motivated, we’d judge ourselves based on how proud we are of our work and whether we felt like we grew from it. Even if this translates to As, the goal would be growth rather than a GPA boost. We’d treat mediocre midterms and imperfect essays as lessons to learn from, not as evidence that we don’t measure up. 

A desire for recognition is part of the human condition.Our generation has undoubtedly internalized it to a greater degree than our parents though. We’ve been raised in a digital environment where our goal is to maximize approval through likes, views and attention. But students at elite colleges are fueled by a unique strain of academic validation too.

I’m not saying we should all stop trying. I’m saying the opposite — overcoming our desire for external approval requires us to challenge ourselves to grow, not to impress. 

We’re here at an outstanding institution, pursuing our dreams and having the time of our lives. The culture of elite colleges will always prioritize achievement, and that isn’t a bad thing. But we need to ensure that we act the way we do for the right reasons.

Maybe our new aspiration shouldn’t be a good grade or a showy new club. Instead, our healthiest next step is to turn inward.

Allie Deutsch is a Medill first-year and author of “Two Cents.” She can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.