Work and Play (Why Kids Lose Curiosity)

It’s because it becomes work. It’s the same reason kids love to help you with things, until you make them do it. As a rule, you usually hate work until you get really good at it, and then you basically transition your play instinct to work. That’s why we play, and a healthy adult begins to associate their work with the same dopamine rush they get when they’re playing. In fact at a certain age play becomes more boring than work. That’s when you’ve grown up.

Like learning PEMDAS and Direct and Indirect objects is like pulling teeth, unless you enjoy learning, as then you’ve transitioned to where it is now work you enjoy. Or reading hard books. Everything becomes structured into organizational patterns, and if you don’t find an interest that’s really because you didn’t push through the boring phase of your employment.

Also, if you learn a thing, learn it from a true master. That can help speed up the process of learning, as they know their skill better than anyone, and can easily communicate it.