Intrinsic Motivtion – THE PRACTICE

Stop Chasing the Carrot

If you find yourself in situations where you are chasing the proverbial dangling carrot, you may find yourself in situations where you feel demotivate and depleted.

Recent research reveals the satisfaction of doing a job well can often get lost in the drive for praise and promotion. Author Daniel Pink identifies three key factors to Intrinsic Motivation in his book Drive. Click on each TAB to reveal how Pink describes each factor.

Autonomy

Mastery

Purpose

Autonomy

Autonomy is the need to be in control of your life and your work. Autonomy allows for:

Greater creativity and innovation to think beyond the norm
Testing of new ideas and accepting failure

Mastery

Mastery focuses on development to achieve your full potential. With mastery, you are looking for opportunities to :

Develop new skills
Practice and maximize your efforts and potential
Participate in continuous improvement

Purpose

Purpose is about working towards something larger and greater than self. Purpose helps you to:

Know where you fit in the bigger picture
Engage not only the mind, but the heart as well

Intrinsic motivation is not about the rewards, recognition, bonus, or accolades. Instead, it comes from within for

Where is there opportunity to take ownership of your own work and apply innovative thinking?

Where is there opportunity to focus on skill development?

Where is there opportunity to achieve a greater purpose?

Share your new discoveries about what motivates you with your coach or manager.

Values in the Office

Your personal values define the drivers that make you unique and strong. They guide your priorities, decisions, and behaviors.

Take a look at this short scene from The Office. Pay attention to how Michael’s Intrinsic Motivation allows him to shift his attention from “What will others think?” to “What is right for me?”

Identify Your Values

“What is right for me?” may sound selfish at first, but studies show that your own needs and values matter in order to live a life of meaning and fulfillment. When you identify your values, you are able to discover what’s most important to you.

One way to identify your values is to take a look back on your life to find patterns in both your personal and professional life.

Click on each of the ROWS below and reflect on the questions provided.

Recall a time when you experienced happiness?

What were you doing?

Who, if anyone, was involved?

What else contributed to feeling happy?

Recall a time when you felt proud?

Why were you feeling proud?

Who, if anyone, was involved?

What else contributed to feeling proud?

Recall a time when you felt fulfilled?

What led to the feeling of fulfillment?

Who else was in involved?

What else contributed to feeling fulfilled?

As you reflect on your responses to the questions above, use the list below to identify the values that consistently presented themselves.

Select six to eight values from the list, or for more values, do a google search!

Achievement
Adventure
Catalyst
Community
Competition
Courage
Creativity
Excellence
Faith
Family
Fun
Happiness

Health and well-being
Helping Others
Integrity
Leadership
Learning
Mastery
Pleasure
Peace
Power
Safety/Security
Trust
Other: ______________________________________

Now, go back to the list and narrow it down even further. Of the six to eight values you selected, which are your top three?

It’s one thing to identify and know your values. It’s another to live a life that is aligned with them. As you consider your top values, answer the following questions.

Imagine your life aligned to these top three values. What’s different? What’s the same?

How would it feel to be more fully aligned with your values?

How do these values give you the energy to persevere even in difficult times?

What choices do you have to create change that allows you to align more closely to your values?

What one small change can you make this week to better align with your values?

Intrinsic Motivation in Action

All emotions are valuable. Even anger.

Hmmm….

Okay, but sometimes you just need to see it to believe it.

Watch this short video from start to 4:46.

As Meghan describes her feelings and thought process, we begin to understand what was going on beneath the surface.

Click on each of the rows below.

Meghan's Feelings

Shocked

Angry

Hurt

Meghan's Thoughts

This isn’t right.

Meghan's Actions

Meghan told one person

Meghan’s conversation with her Dad spurred on a new feeling that then trigged a new response.

Click on each of the rows below.

Meghan's New Feelings

Shocked

Angry

Hurt

Encouraged

Meghan's New Actions

Told more people

Made an impact

Created change

Intrinsic Motivation

This illustration helps us to understand intrinsic motivation. Meghan’s core drivers and values made her step out to create change.

With emotional intelligence, you too can tap into your intrinsic motivation…those core drivers that make you unique and strong.

What motivates you to take a risk, to speak up, or to stand out? How can you lean into your feelings to make a move?

Think about a time when you were intrinsically motivated. What feelings and thoughts propelled you to action?

Share your story with someone else. How can you inspire a colleague, family member, or friend to step out in alignment with what he or she finds intrinsically motivating?

What Is Intrinsic Motivation?

When you Engage Intrinsic Motivation you gain energy from personal values, commitments, and goals. These are the core drivers that make you unique. Intrinsic motivation does not include external factors such as promotions, money, recognition, grades, etc.

The following questions will help you understand what drives you.

What gets you excited?
What breaks your heart?
What consumes your thoughts?
What really matters to you? What is important to you?
In what circumstances do you feel most alive and full?
What is your signature strength?

Complete the Practice Sessions in this module to begin to explore the answers to these questions.