Temperament. One just won’t give up. There is innate drive to persist and master. Plus some confidence from being exposed to different skills and situations early on.

In my case, dysfunctional, fragile, unsafe family. I wanted to become as independent and self-sufficient as possible. Made me incredibly motivated. Now, that's my truth. From their point of view, my parents believe my successes are signs they were terrific parents.
Oh -- and once I married a good man and had children, and settled into a healthy nuclear family for the first time in my life, that career ambition really went away. Again, that's my truth. Outsiders who don't know my story assume I couldn't keep up and so had to choose mommy track, or lost direction. Nope.

It's innate. One of my kids has been interested in learning -- just general learning -- since he was old enough to be read to. More than other kids. He's found and then moved on from various subjects over the years but he is a straight A student in all subjects and years ahead of his peers in school. He was born that way. It's more than being smart -- he's smart and also driven to learn.

I have another kid who is highly motivated in a particular sport. He sucked at it for years but was addicted to it and put hours into it on his own. Now he's really good at it. Also innate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids, like adults, are highly motivated to do things that they enjoy. Everyone is highly motivated to do *something*... some just haven’t found what they enjoy yet.

Said the American progressive liberal arts parent

Huh? I see you are motivate to insult. what a sad focus.

Anonymous wrote:It’s genetics. Several adopted kids here and one of them has a crazy drive, has had it since forever. Others, not so much and nothing we do can help motivate them.

Parental Support. As someone raising adopted kids, and was adopted with siblings herself.

Genetics

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I, now retired, were both high achievers academically and career wise but family always came first. We didn’t push our kids but I think we did a good job modeling achieving good things in life. They are all successful and happy so we must have done something right. My husband loved all sports but our kids never really did but he didn’t try to push them and he just let them find their own passions. I think that was very healthy though I know he would love to have had a sports buddy.

That’s nice. I’ve also met my fair share of talented adults and former athletes who wished their parents HAD pushed them, found them better programs/coaches, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Kids, like adults, are highly motivated to do things that they enjoy. Everyone is highly motivated to do *something*... some just haven’t found what they enjoy yet.

Said the American progressive liberal arts parent

Anonymous wrote:Do you think genetics or parenting played a larger role, or both equally?

One is just intrinsically motivated, coordinated, coach able, and on the ball. The other is the opposite and likely has aspergers like her father. At least I don’t have to worry much about the former childcare as I do for my other and my husband.

Mostly genetics.