What really motivates you?

There’s a common mistake people make when looking for a satisfying career path – whether it’s your first job out of college or a mid-career redirection.  Most job seekers are trying to find a job that offers the highest pay or the greatest status.  While income and power seem like a good set of motivators for on-the-job performance, the truth is that money and status are rarely a good enough “carrot” for any professional.  There are deeper, more meaningful motivators that you should try to find.

Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery from Pexels

Achieving a monetary goal or a promotion will boost your happiness but only temporarily. Most people quickly get used to their newfound income or status. Soon thereafter, they set another higher goal and the chase begins anew. Welcome to the hedonic treadmill where you base your happiness on achieving evermore challenging external rewards. Many people burn out on this treadmill as they find it harder to feed their ego as opposed to nurturing their true inner motivations. There’s nothing wrong with setting goals and focusing on achieving them but they need to reflect intrinsic not extrinsic motivations.

One of my favorite authors and speakers, Dan Pink, says these intrinsic motivations are “Autonomy,” “Mastery,” and “Purpose.”  In his book, Drive, he writes about the science of motivation.

Autonomy – People want to be self-directed and not micromanaged. You should find a work where you are engaged in the work and allowed to deliver results in a way that aligns with your strengths and natural abilities.

Mastery – Your work should give you ample opportunity to improve your skills and increase knowledge in your chosen vocation. Inner motivation is driven by a sense of personal continual improvement.

Purpose – Can you see the end result of the work you do? What impact does it have on the lives of your customers or stakeholders? Does this work have meaning and importance?

Before you commit to a career path, ask yourself if these three intrinsic motivators will be satisfied. If so, you’ll find the success you crave coming from an unshakeable happiness and  inner motivation.