

This would include actions such as handing in your reports on time to avoid being reprimanded by your boss. So what’s the difference?Įxtrinsic motivation occurs when you do something because of external stimuli. You can also break this down into two separate kinds of motivation, namely extrinsic and intrinsic. You can be motivated for lots of different reasons, but the two main reasons why you’re motivated to do anything are: But what do those two terms actually mean?įirst of all, what is motivation? Motivation can be described as the drive that makes you take some action. Translating that into the language of motivation means that the motivators move from extrinsic at the base of the pyramid to increasingly intrinsic ones in the upper levels.

One way to characterize movement up the pyramid is in terms of how the motivators move from external to more internal needs. Intrinsic Motivation: The Language Of Motivation It’s about feeling like you’re reaching the peak of your potential, continuing to grow and develop, and that your desires are more about “big-picture” themes of meaning and purpose. This is the most difficult to define clearly. The final and highest level of the pyramid is about self-actualization. The next higher level of needs relates to esteem, including the need to be recognized, as well as feelings of adequacy and competency, independence and confidence, and the need to be appreciated.
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In the next level of needs come those centered around relationships, including the need for love and belonging, affection and friendship, plus socialization and companionship. In the workplace, these needs would include some minimal level of job security, compensation, benefits and decent working conditions. The next level includes safety and security needs, which take in living or working in a stable and secure environment. These needs must be met in order for you to progress to the higher levels in the pyramid. If not… this is a concept developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow to explain motivation by arranging various human needs into a pyramid.Īt the base of the pyramid are the most urgent physiological needs such as air, water, food, clothing, shelter, sleep, sex, and finally money, which allows you to purchase the other items when they aren’t readily available or free. Remember learning about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in school? So what does motivate people? Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs & Motivators

Unfortunately, despite being a very important book, it got a lot less attention and didn’t influence history in the same way as Smith’s other work did.Īs such, society has had a false idea about workplace motivation… for over two centuries! It was these exact sentiments that lead to the creation of the assembly line.īut what a lot of people don’t know is that in his book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith acknowledges that people care about lots of different things – not just their paycheck.
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Nearly two centuries ago, Adam Smith (the inventor of the free market) declared that as long as financial incentives are adequate, people will work anywhere because people are inherently lazy – so it doesn’t matter what they do. intrinsic motivation debate has only been a recent one.

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