Does Asperger's affect motivation?

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Whether it's seeking a higher education or learning how to drive, I've simply been too numb to care. Even if I think I care, I'm just too dulled by a minimally functioning mind to process a solution, such as starting to work towards going to college or finally getting my license.

I'm too old to not know how to drive, so I'm just wondering if it's a chemical brain issue or something to deal with apathy and laziness?

I consider myself to be lazy because that's what I've been taught growing up. We all get lazy, even regular people. Depression makes us more because it makes it harder for us to do things when depressed and that's lot of people.

I think you just don't know yet the real reason behind doing those things. Once you've found your passion, things will fall through.

I would say... to rid depression at least for a while, do something fun and different for once. Go to the playland maybe. You'll be able to feel much better and more energetic to do the important things that you want to do.

And... I too don't know how to drive. I'm pretty old. But my parents agree that I probably shouldn't drive on the street.

They tried to put me on Abilify for this very reason but it wasn't really working for me. heh

I was on an anti-depressant for a while but it didn't help.

But you're right. Depression definitely makes me less confident, and I've spent so long bringing my shortcomings to the forefront I've kind of shut myself off. And I used to have a passion, but man...bad timing in so many respects. Things just kind of got foggy after a while.

I have motivation issues, but they didn't keep me from going to law school. Then again, education generally interests me, so that's the counterbalance.

When I realized I didn't want to practice law, I had no motivation to do anything. I took the bar exam because others pressured me to, but I could never study for it....no motivation.

I think Asperger's does affect motivation. We tend to have more narrow interests and it's hard to put effort or concentration into something we find tedious when our minds are elsewhere

I have a lot of trouble with motivating myself to study for exams. So far this hasn't been an issue as I've managed to get A grades with little to no preparation, but I believe my years of laziness are beginning to catch up on me and I never learned the self-discipline to make myself study.

I've tried college four times, and failed every time! I cannot study something unless I find it both interesting and useful. I have never been able to sacrifice today for tomorrow's benefit, and that applies to every aspect of my life. This is so extreme that I feel it must be connected to my AS, though I don't understand how.

On my computer (which I use at least 8 hours/day) I know how to do the things that I do very well, but have never been interested in learning more for knowledge's sake. I don't have the vast knowledge of computers that my experience suggests I should.

I would love to take college courses in Mac computers, Photoshop, music editing, and other useful things.

What a great way of summarising it. That's exactly how I feel too. Maybe it's connected to not being able to imagine the future?

I honestly thought I was the only aspie who is less motivated, haven't particularly had the best of years so fat though which make explain why I've lost all my motivation for pretty much everything, never thought it was linked to my AS though.

well my gift of insight makes me see that college is more or less pointless so yeah

I'm the least motivated person in the world, and I hate it. I'm going to college, because I should, but I don't want to go any more than I want to sit at home or any more than I want to go on holidays. Being motivated is a gift in itself, and it's one most Aspies seem to lack. It's definitely an AS trait

Same here. Right now I should be revising for AS levels but yet instead I'm sitting here mindlessly surfing the internet.

Lol you can't both be the least motivated people in the world! I'd suggest you should fight for it, but agreeing to would probably lose you the title!
I had big problems with motivation for years. I could have done so much better in my exams if I'd actually bothered doing any work at all. I managed to turn things around in 6th form though because I figured that if I wasn't going to work at school I should be in a job... that and the fact that most of my A-levels were fun. I remember sitting in a lesson though and telling myself that if I payed attention for 10 minutes I was free to let myself daydream for the next 10.

That's good that you managed to find motivation. I actually concentrate really well in lessons though. I think I probably pay attention for a much greater length of time in class than most other students, partly because I have no one to talk to, lol. However, as soon as I get home from college I lose any motivation and concentration instantly. I'm always so tired and it takes so much effort to force myself to do the work. I didn't revise at all for GCSEs and so far I've barely done any revision for my AS levels, the first exam of which being on Wednesday. I think part of the reason I don't put any extra effort into my work is because I programmed myself into thinking I could get away with it, which I could until now.

I also find myself completely unmotivated. It never occoured to me that it may be related to AS.