Don’t Stop When You’re Tired, Stop When You’re Done

“Don’t Stop When You’re Tired, Stop When You’re Done.” For some this is a motivational quote, for others it’s just a popular idiom.

To truly understand what motivates you as an individual it is crucial to be knowledgeable of the components of motivation. What though is motivation? According to (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2010) it is the decision-making process through which an individual chooses desired outcomes and sets in motion the actions appropriate to their achievement. They further went on to describe the elements of motivation; Drives which are liken to basic needs, Motives which are used everyday unconsciously and Goals which are liken to our behavior being directed towards a specific goal.

I strongly believe that Mr. Pink did not under represent the importance of financial rewards as he conducted his research thoroughly before drawing his conclusion. Mr. Pink examined how to avoid meaningless labour and instead find fulfilling work. He also highlighted beautifully with his animated sketch the power of introverts, and generally the surprising truth about what motivates us.

Pink (2009) shared the counterintuitive results of two studies that revealed what influences our behavior and the half-truth as to why money can’t buy happiness. I became quite fond of his example which highlighted that the higher-level person who are paid the great sums are often the ones who perform the least. This is very relatable, as modern CEOs and managers are for this moot.  Before briefing us on the three main factors that leads to better performance, Pink (2009) informs us that the best use of money as a motivator is to pay people enough to take the issues of money off the table. He went on to say, “Pay people enough so that they’re not thinking about the work, but rather the rewards.”

Some individuals like myself are intrinsically motivated. Based on the Self- Determination Theory that was developed by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan, positive psychology produces positive emotions. It also involves three components competence/mastery, autonomy and relatedness/ purpose. Competence simply refers to handling one’s environment effectively. Autonomy on the other hand, deals with the need to control the courses of life and relatedness refers to having a close affectionate relationship with others.

Naturally, we are self-inclined beings.  The example used by Pink was well renowned when he stated how joyful children were when they play and explored on their own, in comparison to those who are paid to do so. Based on this claim, a shift in paradigm causes lucrative employees to be less passionate which decreases productivity.  According to (Pink, 2009) An incentive designed to clarify thinking and sharpen creativity ended up clouding thinking and dulling creativity. Why? Rewards, by their very nature, narrows our focus. This is true as their focus has now deviated to concentrate on their rewards.

As humans we enjoy becoming great at what we do once we find satisfaction; this component is Mastery. A sense of progress stems when we feel like we are progressing, this in turn contributes to our inner drive. Additionally, employers should strive to calibrate what employees must do by looking at what they can do. Essentially, peering a person to a task based on their strength. This was proven when the software company (Atlassian) allowed their employees one day to work on what they wanted with whomever they wanted; using one variable to curb their production which was to present what they had worked on to the company. This tremendously contributed to software fixes and generated new ideas. It also greatly improved engagement which is a quality every work environment desires to cultivate.