shirgall Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 When i was a hiring manager, I didn't know enough about myself to ask the question "What motivates you?" to a potential employee, but I realize now it's a very powerful question to understand how much someone knows about him-(or her-)self. Heck, this is a good question to consider outside the scope of employment. I am disappointed in this Lifehacker treatment of the question: http://lifehacker.com/the-best-way-to-approach-the-what-motivates-you-inte-1704284162 There are some self-reflective questions in the article, sure, but I bet the gang here has some pretty good ideas on how to answer the question to their own satisfaction, let alone the additional step of whittling that answer down into something attractive to offer an employer. What say you all? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anuojat Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 What motivates me? Good and rational (and honest) people around me and also opportunity to ear money by doing something i like and/or is fun too. Emphaty from others, for terror that is the fear of failure especially in work places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Beal Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Possibly the two biggest motivators in my life have been envy and horror. Many of the things which I'm good at, are skills that other people had who I was determined to get better at, like guitar, singing and debating. (Spite was a big motivator in the singing too, because people told me I sang like crap my whole life). Hitting rock bottom woke me up to the fact that I needed to turn my life around. The horror of that experience keeps me honest with myself, and I discourage my own rationalizations, holding myself to a very high standard. That's why I got into therapy and consumed so much FDR content, pushed past my comfort zone and made connections with other people on the same journey. That's why I practiced web development every single day until I got a job doing that for a living. It's why I'm constantly on the search for things which will give my life meaning. I would love to say that it's a commitment to principle, a desire to free the world and love for rational people, but envy and horror have undoubtedly been bigger motivators for me. I don't know that I would say that in an interview, though... XD 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sashajade Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 In my younger days, I was motivated by immediate gratification because it was the only thing I felt capable of achieving in order to gain intense short term, but fleeting happiness. I had this sense that there was definite limits on the possibilities of whatever I could ever hope to achieve, and that definitley hurt my motivation and still does. I've since learned that I do have more control over this than I thought thanks to this wonderful technology called the internet Helping folks attempt to climb out of learned helplessness one at a time. Nowadays I feel like it's harder to be motivated toward things that are not real or lasting in the reward area. I think when I give of myself to others in some way that makes me feel valuable is motivating, but this works best on a voluntary basis as most of us know on this site. I feel like it's eazier to point out the things that take away my motivation, but I currently lack the dicipline to address this stuff daily. I tend to fall off the focus wagon lol! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickC Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I'm motivated by being the best that I can be, in something that I connect with. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirgall Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 Possibly the two biggest motivators in my life have been envy and horror. Many of the things which I'm good at, are skills that other people had who I was determined to get better at, like guitar, singing and debating. (Spite was a big motivator in the singing too, because people told me I sang like crap my whole life). Hitting rock bottom woke me up to the fact that I needed to turn my life around. The horror of that experience keeps me honest with myself, and I discourage my own rationalizations, holding myself to a very high standard. That's why I got into therapy and consumed so much FDR content, pushed past my comfort zone and made connections with other people on the same journey. That's why I practiced web development every single day until I got a job doing that for a living. It's why I'm constantly on the search for things which will give my life meaning. I would love to say that it's a commitment to principle, a desire to free the world and love for rational people, but envy and horror have undoubtedly been bigger motivators for me. I don't know that I would say that in an interview, though... XD If it is envy of virtue and horror of the consequences of failure, then your commitment to principle is very much an interview story. In fact, any interview story where you identify a weakness, analyze the possibilities, commit to a course of action, follow-through to a conclusion (even if it wasn't a total success), and re-analyze and course correct as it goes is already better than 95% of the other applicants that showed up to the office that day... ...and believe me if you are in web development you will know true horror when you look at other people's "code". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Beal Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 If it is envy of virtue and horror of the consequences of failure, then your commitment to principle is very much an interview story. In fact, any interview story where you identify a weakness, analyze the possibilities, commit to a course of action, follow-through to a conclusion (even if it wasn't a total success), and re-analyze and course correct as it goes is already better than 95% of the other applicants that showed up to the office that day... ...and believe me if you are in web development you will know true horror when you look at other people's "code". Haha. That's a good point about the horror. And it has led me to a certain level of success. Not that I'm super successful or anything, but at least I'm working in an industry that I am passionate about and have learned a ton of skills I never thought I would prior, have great prospects, etc. Maybe I should give myself more credit. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysterionMuffles Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Joy and value. Do I feel joy when I provide value to people? That's the constant implicit question being asked in my head when I'm at work. When I make a sale, I try to sell more than just our products, I'm also trying to sell a piece of myself by giving them a positive experience. This makes their purchase more memorable and also open the possibility for an upsell. Mutual joy and value is what motivates me. I get value from happy customers because it affirms that I'm developing my skills and putting them to use, and I take immense pride in what I'm good at. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utopian Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 In a single word, fulfillment. I want to reach and excersize my intellectual capacity, and develop technologies that will move humanity forward, away from the primitive cavemen we once were (and arguably largely still are). I also want to develop my personality, and be able to have a functioning and loving relationship, provided I could actually find a woman I could do that with. Mostly, however, what I seem to end up doing is sitting on the computer playing video games. It fulfills me with a sense of constant excitement, to be sure, but I kick myself every day, knowing what I am capable of and knowing I am not pursuing it. I pursue some of it during my game playing I suppose... I can never seem to really hunker down and concentrate on it though. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luxfelix Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 In a single word, fulfillment. I want to reach and excersize my intellectual capacity, and develop technologies that will move humanity forward, away from the primitive cavemen we once were (and arguably largely still are). I also want to develop my personality, and be able to have a functioning and loving relationship, provided I could actually find a woman I could do that with. Mostly, however, what I seem to end up doing is sitting on the computer playing video games. It fulfills me with a sense of constant excitement, to be sure, but I kick myself every day, knowing what I am capable of and knowing I am not pursuing it. I pursue some of it during my game playing I suppose... I can never seem to really hunker down and concentrate on it though. A potential boon or abused substance, as is the case with any medium; with games, perhaps, I suggest to try your hand at modding. That way your time spent on entertainment is also in tangent to technological development, or at least as an exercise for mental problem solving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utopian Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 A potential boon or abused substance, as is the case with any medium; with games, perhaps, I suggest to try your hand at modding. That way your time spent on entertainment is also in tangent to technological development, or at least as an exercise for mental problem solving. You know how I justify my game playing? I turn off the music of the game, and in the background, I listen to youtube videos concerning anything academic. Banking, history, and of course, our dear old philosopher Stefan. It's not a total waste I suppose. Still... I always tend to leave out my "concentrated academics". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBlagg Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Dopamine! without it I wouldn't even bother eating. You know how I justify my game playing? I turn off the music of the game, and in the background, I listen to youtube videos concerning anything academic. Banking, history, and of course, our dear old philosopher Stefan. It's not a total waste I suppose. Still... I always tend to leave out my "concentrated academics". Dopamine is also the reason you're motivated to play video games. Every time you win, level up or unlock an achievement you get a little dopamine hit. Away from biochemistry of motivation. This is a difficult question...... I literally don't know. I'm self employed and haven't 'made it' yet. Would say I'm at the point where I can take a low income wage. Have a roof over my head, good food, good sex, 6 month old son. What else do I need and why do I bust my balls 7 days a week to get it. Guess I'm motivated to make a better life for my family and me. Motivating yourself when working alone is tough. But it's become a lot easier now that I have a son. Before I was happy with my standard of life. But now I need more money to make sure he gets a good start in life. We live in a rough area and I really don't want him growing up there. I'd really like to give him enough money at 18 where he can either pay himself thorough Uni or put it towards a business or buying a house, whatever he wants to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philosopher_warrior Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Achieving true happiness motivates me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamsjar Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Meaning. The more life stages I go through (stable job (check), wife (check), kid (check), etc...) the more I realize that it need to /mean/ something. You need to be crystal clear on what you stand for and what you want to do in the world. Time in my life when I had that... no extra motivation needed! I was recently fortunate to see Simon Sinek talk live and it reinforced this. He has a TED talk about 'Starting with Why' that some of you have have seen . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnetic Synthesizer Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Purpose Nothing else. It's creative choice. For me, my virtue, was a choice, I was the only party involved. It's a very refined choice too. It steamrolled with care all the nonesense in its way. So when I choose strawberry over vainlla, it's a choice, not a duty, not a responsability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gee Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W25_jgiY51I Subject to constraints of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torero Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 My main motivation in life is to enrich myself and my friendly surroundings (friends, close family, partner and future offspring) with as many experiences as possible, learning and understanding more about the real world (so not the faked, propagandised and corrupt "world" portrayed in the media) every day. On an intellectual level what motivates me is to enrich in knowledge and philosophy; i.e. being able to understand and as best explain why rational thinking is so important to live a better life. In a business sense what motivates me is to enhance, spread and apply my understanding of the long and wildly interesting history of Gaia; the only tangible "goddess" we all came from, live on and return to after we die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iuliuspro Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Seeing other people happy, impressed and astonished with my work is always a good motivator for me, I seem to have better ideas and higher spirit when people around me are friendly and nonjudgmental. I work best with happy people that try to solve problems and never blame others from the start, the attitude counts. I am rarely motivated by internal mechanisms, but rather externally from seeing the good I do for others. I don't know if that is a good thing, probably not because in a difficult environment I tend to do nothing and be unhappy like I sabotage myself and my growth so that others suffer for the way they treat me. And that is never good, but I don't tend to stay in that environment because I reach a point when my emotional state determines me to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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