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Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

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Re: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

#13

The "Back to the Future" bit at 7:05 or so was very funny. I was kind of skeptical to watch a video with content I had already seen as a TED talk and nearly clicked back before it started. Once it started, I was immediately engaged, and reading parts of the talk satisfied a certain part of my brain.

Yeah-- I was just thinking that if every lecture in school was this way, how could I not stay engaged and absorb it?

Re: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

#15
post #13

The "Back to the Future" bit at 7:05 or so was very funny. I was kind of skeptical to watch a video with content I had already seen as a TED talk and nearly clicked back before it started. Once it started, I was immediately engaged, and reading parts of the talk satisfied a certain part of my brain.

Yeah-- I was just thinking that if every lecture in school was this way, how could I not stay engaged and absorb it?

Because if every lecture was that way, then that style would be the norm, and therefore almost by definition you probably wouldn't be engaged, just as you aren't engaged to the norm now, and seek out unique and interesting—novel things.

Re: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

#16

Perhaps the reason most economic approaches fail to predict this kind of behaviour is because they forget that money by itself is not a motivator—it’s only ever a means to an end for all who use it. Money gives you the freedom to make choices and spend time doing other things—the autonomy and mastery that Dan Pink was talking about. However, earning more money but being stuck in the same job renders this increase in…

It’s worth mentioning that the underlying concept is Marginal Utility: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility

Re: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

#18
post #5

This is one of the best books I've read. As an entrepreneur, it will get you to think differently on how you motivate people. Before, I use to think that if I pay a person to do a task that should be sufficient. Now, I encourage purpose and deliver a vision. You would be amazed at how easy it is to 'rally the troops' by doing this. Read this book now.

I apologize for sounding ignorant, but what is the book?

Edit: Got it. Thanks.

Re: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

#19
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah-- I was just thinking that if every lecture in school was this way, how could I not stay engaged and absorb it?

Because if every lecture was that way, then that style would be the norm , and therefore almost by definition you probably wouldn't be engaged, just as you aren't engaged to the norm now, and seek out unique and interesting— novel things.

Sal Khan gave an interesting hypothesis about why his lectures were more engaging (he uses a blackboard) than a traditional one with a person in the front. I recommend watching the video, but his point is that we tend to focus on the person, the movement of the hands. When you remove the person, you're sort of left with a voice inside your head explaining stuff.

http://vimeo.com/11731351

Re: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

#20
post #5

This is one of the best books I've read. As an entrepreneur, it will get you to think differently on how you motivate people. Before, I use to think that if I pay a person to do a task that should be sufficient. Now, I encourage purpose and deliver a vision. You would be amazed at how easy it is to 'rally the troops' by doing this. Read this book now.

Strongly agree. The book is a quick read and has broad implications. I worked with the author (Daniel Pink) to create a mobile app based on the book. Daniel is a great guy who lives what he writes.

Plug: the app is free and called "Dan the Motivation Roo" currently on Android only

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