Drive

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Check it out and let's discuss...autonomy, purpose, mastery...

 

Edited April 16, 2011 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[Marblehead]

Iwas thinking on my life while watching that and I have to agree that I was always driven primarily by purpose, my desire to do the best I could at what I did.

[Everything]

Indeed, I´ve also pondered this while practicing musical instruments. Just to stop and notice myself being so motivated to become better. It is a big part of my nature, and this power must be held responsibly. If channeled into purposes that are not ethical and constructive towards yourself or others, it is time to let go, forgive self and others for having done harm with the flawed purpose, continue towards a better goal. Thats where the video ends and the companies begin.

 

You have a group of people with common believes and purposes, they work great together and know when newcomers belong or don´t belong their instantaneously. To most people it is obvious that money is not the driving force of a goal that is idealistic. However, sometimes you will have people who will change their mind, slowly and form ideas that are somewhat diffrent from the companies original values and believes. Then the company will have to make some difficult decisions. It can go too fast, innovating too much, loosing the boundaries, having the company brake down into parts, or too slow, where people eventually leave the company to join a better one, new one, one that is contineously evolving or simply up to trends. So slow innovation is the way to go. Whatever you view as a `company´. Be it your own body and mind, family, group of partners, or even a whole countries.

 

You often see this with managers coming into new companies. They like to fire the team set by the previous leader, in order to make room for his own set of people. Might seem harsh, but its the way of things.

 

So, about Drive... Where did this nature manifest itself? Surely the "if no money, then any money will do" come from survival mechanisms. But What interests me more, and what I think we should discuss, is why people or motivated by purpose and desire and ambition. Where does that ccome from, and how deep is it?

 

For example, a person might find life meaningless, yet at the same time wish to have a purpose in life. This causes confusion. They ask, "why do we live" and "I want a purpose!" Then they accept any purpose out of hopelessness only to find out that this purpose sux, then they're like "what is the purpose of life!" all over again. Where as a mature person would remain confident in finding better purposes along the way, all the time, finding new meaning life every moment. But what is this "need for purpose" itself? How does it work. The core nature of it. And why is this drive to solve

Edited April 17, 2011 by Everything

[manitou]

Everything, it sounds like you're saying youth is wasted on the young, there at the end. Unfortunately this is where experience comes in. It seems like true purpose if most often found after elimination of all others is done.

 

That was a fabulously creative vid. Was that you, Songs?

 

I can't add anything to the conversation regarding how this relates to business and motivation of employees; but I do know one thing. I am an artist and I no longer sell paintings. I stopped selling them because to sell them is to rip the blood right out of them. To give them to someone is to remember it with love always.

Edited April 17, 2011 by manitou

[Sloppy Zhang]

They're teaching this in management classes, now.

 

only a matter of time until "the man" learns to exploit this for his evil, greedy ends!

[Marblehead]

 

only a matter of time until "the man" learns to exploit this for his evil, greedy ends!

 

Hehehe. I love your optimism.

[Otis]

Check it out and let's discuss...autonomy, purpose, mastery...

Nice! That's definitely how I experience my own drive. The projects that have been the most personal for me, are ones I made little or no money on, but are the ones that I had the greatest say in, and the most opportunity to grow.

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

No, it wasn't me, manitou I wish it were me, it's the kind of thing I used to do in my younger days with drawing, I was heavily influenced by R. Crumb (who drew my avatar).

 

It certainly seems as though intrinsic reward comes through those qualities, and it's interesting that if the reward remains only financial, performance crashes! I found this video (of Daniel Pink discussing the ideas in his book 'Drive') to be very inspirational.

I just took a job for the first time with a corporation in a directorship position and the only thing that made me interested in working with them was that there appears to be appreciation and potential for a sense of purpose and satisfaction along the lines of the ideas in the video. (I will report back as things progress for me in corporate world--should be interesting).

[manitou]

I would think a Taoist take on the corporate world might be a lot of fun to hear about. I'd like to give you the Taoist take on police work too, but it's too oxymoronic and they won't let you use the word 'police' and 'tao' in the same sentence.

[johndoe2012]

Liked the video! Very well done and filled with humor

 

Anyway, I think the conclusion is natural for one who has done some inner work. What is amazing is that there are still people thinking the apposite, that is work where bonuses are held in high regard (like my workplace ).

 

In the end, it will probably work out because the top performers will be the companies where there is a lot of autonomy and the companies which hold on to the old time way of management will go under.

 

The next question is: when will government take such scientific studies seriously and start dismantling itself since this is not only related to work but also to states?

[Marblehead]

 

The next question is: when will government take such scientific studies seriously and start dismantling itself since this is not only related to work but also to states?

 

Isn't that called "wishful thinking"?

[johndoe2012]

But What interests me more, and what I think we should discuss, is why people or motivated by purpose and desire and ambition. Where does that ccome from, and how deep is it?

 

people are inherently creative I think. Maybe it is a expression of the body, inner energies that are translated to outer work.

 

That is why when people get autonomy they get happier: a release of energies is happening.

 

This also includes people doing manual work, people on the "floor". So it is not only for people with higher education as the video says.

 

For example, a person might find life meaningless, yet at the same time wish to have a purpose in life. This causes confusion. They ask, "why do we live" and "I want a purpose!" Then they accept any purpose out of hopelessness only to find out that this purpose sux, then they're like "what is the purpose of life!" all over again. Where as a mature person would remain confident in finding better purposes along the way, all the time, finding new meaning life every moment. But what is this "need for purpose" itself? How does it work. The core nature of it. And why is this drive to solve

 

The need for purpose could come from the conditioned mind, that everything should have a meaning, a purpose, a goal. Once completion is reached, satisfaction is enjoyed.

 

Spirit probably does not need purpose other than awareness of now, enjoying sensations through the body, experiencing the totality of the world. For spirit that is enough, maybe?

 

or maybe drive is inherently from spirit in that it wants to enjoy all expressions of the world?

[manitou]

 

This also includes people doing manual work, people on the "floor". So it is not only for people with higher education as the video says.

 

 

 

 

The more one gains in spirituality, it seems that the importance of manual work takes on a new essence. And working in a garden, digging, turning dirt? It's the best. It's the connection with the simple, the uncarved, the honest days labor in return for the immediate gratification of a job well done (hopefully).

 

One of the most satisfying jobs I ever had, from this point of view, was for a short time as an insurance adjuster many years ago. There would be a huge stack of files in my inbox in the morning, and they would be in my outbox at the end of the day. The gratification was there because I could physically see my empty tray, dust it off, then go out for a drink with my girlfriends. No problems, no carryover. Nothing to worry about.

 

Maybe this small component, this daily feeling of self-satisfaction (having nothing to do with a paycheck or bonus) is something tangible that a manager could seriously think about, even in the most abstract of circumstances. Team goals always seemed a bit manipulative to me as an employee; but some sort of personal affirmation, albeit a shiny empty box, goes a long way toward balance in the work place. How to translate it onto a mass level would be an interesting challenge, how to give a salesman or a scientist or a teacher or anyone professional the opportunity for a sense of completion, when in fact their job is relentlessly ongoing - I haven't a clue. But I do think people need it...just a little personal attaboy.

[Sloppy Zhang]

No problems, no carryover. Nothing to worry about.

 

I think this is important too.

 

These days, a lot of stuff tends to carry over and invade your life. My dad, for the longest time, would dodge work calls when he was at home on the weekends and in the evenings. And then one day his boss bought him a phone and was like, "never turn this phone off, and if it rings, answer it."

 

So even if someone accomplishes something, it's like you're never done, even if it's just for one evening.

 

And sure, most people probably know that there is always gonna be more work, but it's nice to at least have a little perception that, you know, you're done.

[Marblehead]

And then one day his boss bought him a phone and was like, "never turn this phone off, and if it rings, answer it."

 

Hehehe.

 

After I retired from the Army I was working a part time job with an electric generating facility in a department that was considered critical to the operation of the facility but my job was not of a critical nature (mostly administration). My supervisor tried that with me and I told him where he could put his phone. I was surprised he didn't fire me.

[ralis]

I have been rather busy as of late and have been thinking about the study as discussed on the video. Here is an excellent example of gross incompetence by the CEO's of Border's Books and yet they are still being paid large bonuses. For the purpose of what?

 

 

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