Intrinsically
My friend shared a great video recently, which makes an extremely important point about motivation that should be heeded by anyone in education or business.
Let's assert that there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the burning desire we all have, instilled in our very natures, that makes us want to do great work, to improve the world, to contribute to society, or to make a difference. I work hard for the satisfaction of seeing things change, or of learning and growing as an individual in the process.
Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is working for an external reward. It's what makes us work for something dangled in front of us, like good grades, merit badges, and annual salary increases.
Keynotes:
1. Intrinsic motivation is more powerful than extrinsic motivation.
2. It's difficult to create intrinsic motivation in someone else (like a student, employee)
3. Introducing extrinsic motivators (e.g. rewards) tends to displace and damage intrinsic motivation, usually irreversibly.
Extrinsic motivation is a pretty easy way for a teacher or manager to say to their boss, "Look, see! I'm getting people to work harder!" This is why carrot-esque incentives crop up all over the place: because they give people in charge something to hide behind and a way of shouldering off responsibility.
It's easy to be seduced by this fallacy: people like money/rewards, so maybe they'll work harder if they're dangled in front of them. This works in the short-term, but falls down over extended periods of time.
P.S. Zynga has built an empire on small, extrinsic motivators. I'm not saying they don't work; only that it's not a great way to build a classroom or business for the long haul.
Let's assert that there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the burning desire we all have, instilled in our very natures, that makes us want to do great work, to improve the world, to contribute to society, or to make a difference. I work hard for the satisfaction of seeing things change, or of learning and growing as an individual in the process.
Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is working for an external reward. It's what makes us work for something dangled in front of us, like good grades, merit badges, and annual salary increases.
Keynotes:
1. Intrinsic motivation is more powerful than extrinsic motivation.
2. It's difficult to create intrinsic motivation in someone else (like a student, employee)
3. Introducing extrinsic motivators (e.g. rewards) tends to displace and damage intrinsic motivation, usually irreversibly.
Extrinsic motivation is a pretty easy way for a teacher or manager to say to their boss, "Look, see! I'm getting people to work harder!" This is why carrot-esque incentives crop up all over the place: because they give people in charge something to hide behind and a way of shouldering off responsibility.
It's easy to be seduced by this fallacy: people like money/rewards, so maybe they'll work harder if they're dangled in front of them. This works in the short-term, but falls down over extended periods of time.
P.S. Zynga has built an empire on small, extrinsic motivators. I'm not saying they don't work; only that it's not a great way to build a classroom or business for the long haul.