The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Carrots & Sticks are so last Century. Drive says for 21st century work, we need to upgrade to autonomy, mastery and purpose.” The other day I was shown in class this video about what really motivates us. The video is actually based on a book written by Daniel Pink called “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.” In it, the author suggests that dangling carrots may be useful in getting people to plow through boring, routine work. But in the fast-changing 21st-century economy, the success of individuals and organizations increasingly depends on being nimble and innovative, so there is more and more need for people to find intrinsic value in their work. Pink identifies three elements underlying such intrinsic motivation: autonomy, the ability to choose what and how tasks are completed; mastery, the process of becoming adept at an activity; and purpose, the desire to improve the world.

What motivates you?

Written By: Mauricio Medina