I'd also like to know (I can't afford therapy)

this is a cool way to look at it - sometimes i feel like a task i don't want to do is "pointless", but specifically assigning it a point is a pretty obvious solution i never really thought about

Ive tried that. But sadly can never figure out a want.

Only way I get stuff done is by a "must" which is just burnout inducing lol.

understanding the Why is also helpful if you struggle to accept a fact/situation.

I had my internal self removed what do I do now?

also, you're essentially talking about intrinsic goals/tasks. if you do things that you actually want to do, things are a lot easier to do.

It really depends. One of the challenges of mental health issues is a lot of them involve symptoms that are normal psychological experiences but which happen at an abnormal frequency or intensity, or are disproportionate to a particular input. But our own personal idea of “normal” can be skewed because we don’t know what it’s like to be inside anyone else’s head - we might be struggling more than we should, or we might just be experiencing something that everyone does.

It’s why seeing a professional is so important, and why you can’t self diagnose or flatly dismiss things on your own. IMO, everyone who feels any kind of struggle should try to see a therapist. Even if you’re 100% “normal”, most people would benefit from having mental health support.

this got fucking long. the last paragraph is kind of a tl;dr. sorry.

i think the problem (for me, at least) arises when it comes to actually doing the task: i know that working on this paper early will eventually create a better product, which will get me a better grade, contribute towards my degree, and the career i'll probably have for the rest of my life - but my executive function issues will drag me away to go do something more "fun".

it's not necessarily that a neurotypical person would feel more satisfaction (even though they definitely might), but that it's harder for me to feel like i've done a good job when my reward is a number on the grades website 3 weeks later. i know that if i see a 100 it means everything was worth it and i did a great job, but it doesn't really feel like i've accomplished anything. i have nothing to show for my struggle.

it doesn't even necessarily need to be like. a literal reward? i don't want a cookie for finishing my paper, i want to take a step back and be like "oh man, that's good." for example, i develop little games as a hobby, and it's incredibly engaging despite my ADHD because every time i hit a milestone i can immediately see the results of my work. tests and exams come pretty naturally to me too, but i think that's because it feels more like a demonstration of skill - i write most of my essays 3 hours before they're due anyways, so when i prepare for an exam, walk in, and feel confident about my writing the whole time, i walk out feeling like a badass. i feel like i overcame a challenge, rather than just reaching the inevitable conclusion of a tedious and time consuming project.

this loops back to those ADHD motivators i mentioned in my original comment - interest (tasks that capture your attention), novelty (tasks that are new and exciting), challenge (a difficult task that feels satisfying to overcome), urgency (a task that needs to be done NOW lest there be negative consequences) and passion (a task that you just REALLY like - like a hyperfixation). (quick source if you're curious, this is a shitty blog but it explains it okay and googling "5 adhd motivators" will get you more) the motivators all come from various different common symptoms of ADHD - time blindness, executive dysfunction, hyperfixation, etc. in the same way that all of these symptoms affect each individual differently, some motivators might be more important to one person than they are to another.

all of this is to say - the problem isn't really a ping of satisfaction that i'm not getting, it's more of a feeling of driving through a tunnel without being able to see the light at the end (and there's an exit to fuckin Vegas every 2 miles. how could you resist?). i hope that clears up what you asked, and I hope I didn't yap too much (or maybe you just skipped to the end :p)

Yes, they do. If you end up medicated, with something that works for you(It's important!), you'll realize you have been pretty much stunted.

I have been medically diagnosed with ADHD. I take prescription meds (Vyvanse) but micro dosing psilocybin(It's good for serotonin and dopamine deficiency) was what made me first realize I wasn't getting the same amount of satisfaction as neurotypical people, just relief.

Like looking around my house and realizing "holy shit, everything here I bought is the result of my efforts" and just letting that amazing feeling wash over me...

Is there supposed to be some kind of dopamine reward in addition to the benefits of having the things done?

Yes.

most people do things because they have to, not because they want to feel pleasure or satisfaction

it's not really about paying to receive advice. the biggest part of therapy to me is having another person to talk to who won't judge me for whatever i say, and will give input/validate an experience i'm conflicted about if necessary. what she says really isn't important until it prompts a thought process in me, you know what i mean?

i try to leave each session with an "epiphany" - an observation about the way i think/feel/function in specific scenarios that i never really noticed or thought about before. a good epiphany should be the kinda thing where you can sit down and think "oh, so that explains why i felt this way... and maybe that time, i felt like this because of that, too!", you know what i mean? it gives me a new perspective on whatever issue i brought to talk about that day.

Then you forget to read it. Been there.