I guess you find this question kind of strange, but... what is exactly a reward when you come to talk about motivation ? Imagine, well, I have to clean the kitchen (it's a real example...). Since I'm alone at home and I'm absolutely not motivated into cleaning the kitchen, what reward could make me into doing it ? For example, I love to play Neverwinter Nights II at this time. If I can't get myself to clean the kitchen NOW, why would I decide that, me, a reasonable girl who likes having fun with the computer, I CAN'T play NNII before cleaning the kitchen ?

In fact, I'm thinking about Dodson 1960's education theories about "logical and/or natural consequences". I think the only reward that is really a good and dependable reward is something that is (or would be) a consequence of cleaning the kitchen. For example : I love baking, and if the kitchen is dirty, I can't bake. So I clean the kitchen, and THEN, logically, I get to bake.

The same works with negative consequences... for example : if I don't clean the kitchen, I could punish myself by not having a cup of tea at 5 o'clock. Well, who will be there, telling myself "oh, little girl, you won't have a cup of tea since you didn't clean the kitchen ?". Nobody. The real motivating thing is a direct consequence of not cleaning the kitchen : my husband will get into a bad mood when he'll come from work tonight, since he can't find a place to put his glass to pour whisky.

Nice. Now, I'm not sure I can find positive or negative logical/natural consequences for all my NA...