Why people participate in an activity affects their performance in that activity. The motive affects their performance.
Even though many organizations rely on money to drive performance, most of us know from our personal lives that motivation is much more complicated. There is a spectrum of reasons why people do their jobs (or lose weight). Understanding that spectrum is the key to creating the highest levels of performance.
THE DIRECT MOTIVES
PLAY
Play occurs when you’re engaging in an activity simply because you enjoy doing it. Play is what compels you to take up hobbies, from solving crossword puzzles to making scrapbooks to mixing music.
PURPOSE
A step away from the work itself is the purpose motive. The purpose motive occurs when you do an activity because you value the outcome of the activity (versus the activity itself). You may or may not enjoy the work you do, but you value its impact.
POTENTIAL
The third motive is potential. The potential motive occurs when you find a second order outcome (versus a direct outcome) of the work that aligns with your values or beliefs. You do the work because it will eventually lead to something you believe is important, such as your personal goals.
THE INDIRECT MOTIVES
EMOTIONAL PRESSURE
The first indirect motive, emotional pressure, occurs when emotions such as disappointment, guilt, or shame compel you to perform an activity. These emotions are related to your beliefs (your self-perception) and external forces (the judgments of other people).
ECONOMIC PRESSURE
Economic pressure is when you do an activity solely to win a reward or avoid punishment. The motive is separate from the work itself and separate from your own identity.
INERTIA
The most indirect motive of all is inertia. With inertia, your motive for working is so distant from the work itself that you can no longer say where it comes from---you do what you do simply because you did it yesterday. This leads to the worst performance of all.
WHY WE WORK
1. Direct motives typically increase performance and indirect motives typically decrease it.
2. The more directly connected the motive is to the activity itself, the better performance becomes. Play is the motive that is closest to the work itself, so it is the most powerful. Purpose is one step removed, so it is the second strongest. Potential is two or more steps removed from the activity, so it is the third strongest.