Internal Motivation Renewed

Last fall I read the Icarus Deception by Seth Godin.  I also recently finished Drive by Dan Pink.  They’re a pretty good pair back to back. They both helped me renew and refresh some internal motivation.  I shared a synopsis with my department and thought others may find some of the takeaways motivating as well.

Drive

explores intrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic. Intrinsic wins out in almost all cases, essentially concluding that as humans we are more successful when we put efforts toward things that we find naturally motivating and rewarding. Studies prove that dangling a carrot, or reward-based motivators don’t work. Drive will make you think about your passion and motivation.

The Icarus Deception is about making meaningful work, treating your work as art, and not conforming to normalcy. This book really had me inspired.

8 Points to Renew Internal Motivation

Here are some of the things that stuck for me–some as they relate to TSI, others as bigger picture food for thought; all in no particular order:

1. Working at TSI doesn’t mean just showing up and completing tasks & assignments. It means that you own your responsibilities here and that you are accountable to your work’s successes and failures.

2. Many companies say that they want to hire fresh, innovative thinkers, when in reality they want a staff that obeys, follows the status quo, and doesn’t talk back.  That’s (thankfully) not the case at TSI.

3. We are lucky that our projects have finite schedules.  I’ve read about design projects that took 10 years or better.   If you’re not naturally motivated by the content of a particular project, focus on the societal value you create by teaching others through your work. And, look forward to the next, different project. Our project variety is a luxury.

4. Take ownership of the whole project, even tasks that are not necessarily your “responsibility.” The success of the project is the whole team’s responsibility. If a team member didn’t get their part done when they said they would, speak up and confront them.  We all depend on one another. Ask what you can do to help. If issues aren’t remedied after a conversation, talk to your supervisor.

5. Treat your work as an art form. Be the best. Put in the extra effort. Go above and beyond. Make meaningful work. If surface value of a project doesn’t strike a chord with you, find a way to make it meaningful. Care about what you put out in the world.

6. This is the age of connection – Seth Godin refers to it as the “connection economy.” People all over the world are collaborating and donating their time for free because it is innovative and fulfilling. You may eventually be competing with people who would be willing to do your job for free because it gives them purpose. How will you master your craft and make yourself invaluable in this type of marketplace?

For example: This is how Wikipedia evolved. Remember hard-cover sets of encyclopedias? They used to be expensive, and an entire paid staff would research, write, and compile them.  Then Wikipedia was created, and continues to evolve out of free labor.

1. Do things that make you uncomfortable. Be vulnerable. Vulnerability builds trust. If you “feel” judged or shamed, remember that it’s on you as to how you interpret that type of feeling or criticism.  Creating something new can be painful at first

2. You are responsible for your own happiness – at work and at home.

Here are a couple of memorable quotes from Godin’s book:

“Correct is fine. But it is better to be interesting.”

” … every obstacle into a learning process, not a momentary hassle to be dealt with.”