Autonomy + Mastery + Purpose = Motivation
| The traditional carrot-and-stick approach of motivation doesn't work - surprised? In the 1970s psychologist Edward Deci's research showed the powerful & significant difference between extrinsic motivation (from external sources) and intrinsic motivation (internal). ore recently Daniel Pink in Drive, lists 3 elements of the internal motivation formula: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. This is your mindset.  |
Carrot-and-Stick Approach
This was based on a simplistic premise - we avoid pain, and seek pleasure. Obey / perform well, and get the reward (carrot); Disobey / perform badly, and we get the punishment (stick). Am I the only one who wonders who came up with this?
But we are so much more than that. We are complex, simplistic, rational, emotional, dynamic beings who morph and change state at the speed of thought.
But we are so much more than that. We are complex, simplistic, rational, emotional, dynamic beings who morph and change state at the speed of thought.
The 3 elements that Daniel Pink identifies:
- Autonomy: the urge to control the who, what, when, where, how, and why of our actions.
- Mastery: the drive to get better at what we do, to improve.
- Purpose: the sense of connecting to something bigger than ourselves.
Autonomy
We each have a powerful inner, self-directed drive. Autonomy in this context means having control over the what, where, when, why, how, and with whom of our activities.
"Autonomy is our human need to perceive that we have choices. It is our need to feel that what we are doing is of our own volition. It is our perception that we are the source of our actions." Fowler
The ultimate autonomy comes with driving your own economic engine. Creating a market for your work gives you the freedom to decide what you do what, when, where, with whom, how, and why you do it. This is the crux of entrepreneurship.
"Autonomy is our human need to perceive that we have choices. It is our need to feel that what we are doing is of our own volition. It is our perception that we are the source of our actions." Fowler
The ultimate autonomy comes with driving your own economic engine. Creating a market for your work gives you the freedom to decide what you do what, when, where, with whom, how, and why you do it. This is the crux of entrepreneurship.
Mastery
This is our innate drive for improvement, to get better & be good at doing something. We don't need to be instant experts; a sense of progress in our capabilities, in our work, is enough. To sustain interest in a pursuit, we need positive feedback into our deep-rooted impulse to strive for higher degrees of skill, of competence. The end-game is mastery. Always.
Purpose
Purpose is provided by the context within which we perform; when we connect to a cause greater than ourselves. People who have the highest levels of purpose are motivated to pursue the more difficult or complex tasks.
Purpose - the feeling that your work connects with something bigger than you - drives passion; it sustains your fire & enthusiasm.
The 2 major components of purpose:
Purpose - the feeling that your work connects with something bigger than you - drives passion; it sustains your fire & enthusiasm.
The 2 major components of purpose:
- Making a positive contribution to others.
- Making consistent progress every day.
The Goldilocks Zone
 | "The habitable zone, sometimes referred to as the Goldilocks Zone, is the region around a star that has just the right conditions to find liquid water on a planet's surface. And liquid water is a key ingredient in the search for life." For many entrepreneurs, happiness comes from the feeling we are making a difference. It drives us to take on increasingly-complex goals, and evolve ever-more creative solutions. The right mindset can change you, and that changes your business. Find your Goldilocks Zone with success coaching - not too hot, not too cold, just right for you! |
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