Image via Wikipedia
Ever wonder what motivates us to give our best at work? I know a lot of you will say “Money!” but that just might not be true.
Surprised? I was too.
Research has shown that the carrot and stick approach to performance enhancement works only when the job is a mechanical job. The minute it is a cognitive job, higher rewards = worse performance. Surprising, isn’t it?
To a certain extent, money is a motivator – If you don’t pay people enough, they won’t be motivated to work. But if you pay them enough that they don’t think about money, they are better able to focus on work.
So, what then, are our drivers?
- Autonomy
- Mastery
- Purpose
Want to know more? Check out this really cool video that discusses just this.
So, what motivates you?
lucky for me i really like what i do, so that’s motivation in and of itself. but the biggest motivating factor is that i’m self-employed…if i don’t work (and work hard) i don’t get paid….
tgif!
It is indeed lucky that you’re doing what you love! A lot of people end up being stuck in jobs that they don’t really like much – or maybe even hate!
I love the drawing–a creative visual representation of the idea of motivation. Autonomy resonates with me–when I make my art, I am self-directed, and I love the process.
Yes, the way all of the concepts are drawn in absolutely stunning!
I’ve heard the theory before that people will work unbelievably hard on things they do not get paid for. I would have said before that I’m motivated by money, or more accurately, by the security that money can provide. But I can spend a lot of time working on my blogs, which I have yet to make a dime from! And I’ve been doing it for a couple years.
Money is a motivator until you’re financially secure. Once you achieve financial security, you need more to motivate to you. I find myself spending a lot of time on my blog too, as well as on my altered books (though I’ve ignored those for a while now) and on photography.
is all about passion for me…
http://adrianairis.blogspot.com/
Ah yes! That’s a force that is important for almost everything in life, including work!
Other Photographers…
And there are so many talented ones out there!!
It’s passion mostly but money is important too.
Yes, up to a certain point money sure is important – but beyond that, you need something more – like passion – to keep you going.
Wonderful video!! And interesting insights!!
Yeah, I really loved the way the video is illustrated! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂