Forces that Motivate

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the theory that there are only two forces that motivate people: Self-interest and fear. The paper argues that these two forces are really one, that self-interest incorporates everything. The paper also introduces another facet of self-interest that is sometimes overlooked: the love for others. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is outlined in the paper in order to describe self-interest motivators.

From the Paper:

"Understanding how people are motivated is a crucial piece to successfully interacting and collaborating in society. As adults, one must take into account how best to motivate those around us in order to achieve our goals in this world. If people were not motivated to perform tasks that were not appealing to them, imagine what the world would be like. Although at first people may be able to only indulge themselves in activities they enjoy, eventually those would cease to be available, due to the intricate relationship of each individual with another. For example, food would become scarce as perhaps no one would take enjoyment in producing it. It's this give and take that allows the world to function that is the essence of motivation. To do this, one must first do that. To reap this reward, one must first put in this effort. This motivation is typically broken down into two factors that have been described as primary motivators for people fear and self-interest."

More papers on Forces that Motivate:

• Essay # 23765 : "Forces of Motivation"
• Essay # 15962 : "Motivating Forces"
• Essay # 38897 : "Motivating Through Teammate Effort"

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