B. F. Skinner, who many believe to be the father of behavioral psychology, believed in consequences. If good behavior is rewarded, it will be repeated. If we punish bad behavior, it will cease.
This has been a mainstay with parenting, teaching, coaching, and in the business world for the better part of the 20th century and continues to be a prevailing thought today.
Then we have Edward L. Deci and his band of psychologists that say, “Wait, hold up everybody!”
Deci says that motivation is derived from “intrinsic” factors, not “extrinsic” ones. In other words, the carrots and sticks only go so far. In this book, he gives us countless studies that prove his point.
Deci says that rewards and punishments make us feel controlled. He says that we may see some temporary bump in motivation with rewards, such as giving money for good grades on a report card, but that this motivation will be fleeting and when the reward is removed, the drive is gone.
Deci says we want choices. We desire autonomy. We do not wish to feel controlled. He says that when we parents, teachers, coaches, and leaders provide clear communication with the outcomes of certain behaviors and combine that will offering choices, then we will see motivation that comes from inside which is far more sustainable than external factors.
I learned of Deci from Daniel Pink’s book Drive. Pink’s Drive, published in 2012, is an updated and more modern version of Deci’s, published in 1995. They’re both great books and rebuff the previous thoughts of Skinner and show that to really motivate we need to go beyond the carrots and sticks.
This book receives 4.4 stars on Amazon after 60 reviews. Goodreads gives it 3.95 stars after 833 ratings and 62 reviews. I gave it 4 stars. It is a great read for just about anyone, since we all have some responsibility for helping others find drive and motivation.
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