Drive summary

Motivation 3.0 is a tremendously powerful tool. If given the opportunity, intrinsically motivated people make their own decisions on when they work best, what exactly they should work on, and how they should do it. They take responsibility. And they don’t need to be directed or rewarded all the time because they actually enjoy doing the work.

You probably know what this feels like from your own work, a hobby, or playing sports: sometimes you’re so immersed in an activity that you forget the world around you.

Do you know where to find true masters of intrinsic motivation? On the playground. This is what children do best – demonstrate great dedication toward small goals. They romp about with curiosity and sample everything possible, all in an attempt to understand the world. They employ their hands, mouth, eyes, and ears with pleasure. Children are intrinsically motivated to a high degree. They love the process of learning . . . as long as they don’t call it “learning.”

But over the years, they change; their urge to search for challenges and novelties lessens. So what happens to their motivation? Well, let’s turn to science. In a nursery experiment, children were asked to produce a drawing. Some children were told they’d receive a certificate for completing their drawing, while others weren’t told anything. When both groups were asked to draw again – this time with neither group being promised a reward – the children who had previously received a certificate no longer wanted to draw. But those who hadn’t received any special recognition did. The promised recognition had destroyed the first group’s intrinsic motivation; they’d learned to draw only for a reward. 

Let’s recap. Extrinsic motivation can be effective in the case of routine tasks, like packing bags in a supermarket. But if the work is more demanding or requires a greater degree of creativity, carrot-and-stick motivation can lead to immoral behavior and a decline in performance. 

How can you make use of this insight? You have to change the way your organization works on a deeper level. To do that, you can use these three key components: mastery, autonomy, and purpose. 

Key component one: mastery. If you want to promote intrinsic motivation, make sure people have the freedom to strive for perfection.

Fifty percent of employees in the US report feeling uncommitted to their job. They fulfill their duties but lack passion. This is because many people aren’t engaged enough in their work and have too few opportunities for personal development. Their drive for perfection is suffocated – and so is their commitment.

Key component two: autonomy. If you want to promote intrinsic motivation, allow people to make relevant decisions on their own.

In the previous chapters, we mentioned that there are many companies that still rely on the carrot and the stick. However, some companies are different. It’s worth taking a leaf out of their book. In these companies, leadership rests on the self-determination of the workers. Instead of monitoring their employees and keeping them on a tight leash, they’ve either relaxed control or completely let go of the reins.

Key component three: purpose. If you want to promote intrinsic motivation, stand up for meaningful work.

What moves people during the course of their lives? To answer this question, psychologists asked graduates of the University of Rochester about their main aim in life. While some named extrinsic profit targets and wanted to become rich and famous, others specified more meaningful intrinsic goals like developing personally and helping others – working for international aid organizations, for example.