My take is that what matters in fun versus work is where the locus of control is situated. That is, where does your subjective experience tell you the source of you doing that activity comes from.
If it comes from within, then you count it as fun. If it comes from the outside, you count it as work.
This explains your feeling, and explains the comments in this thread as well. When past-self sets goals for you, you are no longer the center of locus of control. Then it feels like negatively connoted work.
My take is that what matters in fun versus work is where the locus of control is situated. That is, where does your subjective experience tell you the source of you doing that activity comes from.
If it comes from within, then you count it as fun. If it comes from the outside, you count it as work.
This explains your feeling, and explains the comments in this thread as well. When past-self sets goals for you, you are no longer the center of locus of control. Then it feels like negatively connoted work.
That’s how it is for me anyway.
Personally, even when I’m the one assigning myself “work”, it’s still a negative experience.
I like this idea, it seems to ring true to me.