Pride of creation is one of, if not the, biggest motivator for me as an engineer.
I like seeing the lights blink.
Code as craft
Many hobbies and occupations are performed in a way where it’s easy to see a craftsperson at work: The carpenter measures, cuts, and sands. The knitter looms. The painter pants.
Software engineers get into every bit as much state of flow.
Except the way our craft looks isn’t sexy. It’s staring into a screen.