Intrinsic motivators burn longer and brighter than extrinsic ones
Last week I had the opportunity to think about intrinsic goals when I met 13 students at University of Kent, alongside sharing my own deeply personal experience of chasing financial rewards and a sense of not being 'enough' and the need to prove myself and how that burned me out in the end. I shared the causes of this which were the results of complex circumstances and not the fault of anyone.
Football makes very visible the fortunes of players. Arsene Wenger was a deep thinker and was one of the best at spotting talent, not just in the way it is on show on the football pitch but also in the mindset and psychology of players.
The ones who intrinsically loved the game, focused on continuous self-improvement, inside and outside the game, stayed humble and served the club and the fans went the further than those simply chasing trophies or motivated by financial rewards and distracted by the trappings of fame. There are as many examples of wasted talent as there are examples of players whose work ethic and dedication turned them from average to great.
This was epitomised by Wenger's experience in Japan in the mid '90s managing Nagoya Grampus, where he had to hide the balls before training! The work ethic of players and the passion of fans in the stadium was second to none, driven by a pure intrinsic love of the game and a desire to improve and play the game in an aesthetically pleasing way. This is something Arsene always sought and he looked for players that lived these values.
This is something I explored last week at the session I ran at University of Kent's Career Fair "Starting your career in a Changing World". Together we learned that intrinsic goals are way more powerful and enduring than extrinsic goals and purpose drives motivation. Everyone present agreed that purpose was more important than a pay cheque.
This is something we we keep seeing from this generation. And this is a recipe to a more fulfilled life - discovering your purpose early is a gift to be cherished.
Would love to hear your experiences. Please comment.
This post was written by Mark A King. You can follow him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkingbravo/ (opens in a new tab)