Human beings are complex individuals. As such, it is impossible to find one work/body/brain function that fits all.
When people come to work, they all want different things out of their job. If a person has a big financial cushion, they may go into politics for recognition. For the average Joe and Jane, it may be about hitting a target, getting respect from peers and bosses or accumulating power. In short, everyone has a different motivation to work.
I once heard one staffer say that it was good to be at work during the summer because of free air-conditioning. Another once said work was great to be away from a troublesome spouse. I am sure; there may have been additional motivations for these people to work.
I think, to get their motivations straight, people should prepare a mission statement for themselves to seek their motivation for existence. Having a purpose for life is a meaningful answer to this motivation issue. Ask the question: What is the purpose of my life? Answers to this question can be revealing for the 9-5 job, as well as for life beyond the day job. Just working for money, is lame duck. Life can offer more to you than that.
In war torn parts of the world, or nations severely depressed by poverty, the only motivation for survival may be to care for siblings. For example, when the tsunami inflicted Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004, the motivations for existence became different in a millisecond. All that each person cared when the big waves plucked them away was the safety of their family and friends. In similar circumstances, you may have heard of 90-somethings say that they wish they could live until their great grandson married or completed college. Both poverty and wealth evokes different motivations for existence or doing something. If a very poor person needs money to survive, then money is going to be their motivation to work.
In essence, I think, each person’s motivation for existence and going to work base on their current circumstances. However, if each person can take some trouble to motivate themselves, then they must take more responsibility for it than pass the buck to others, like supervisors, HRM, family members and so on. The emphasis of this article is about the motivation that must come from within "you." A good analogy from information technology is that must be a "receiver" to accept information sent by the "sender." Nevertheless, it is supervisor responsibility to understand that appreciation boosts motivation. In other words, appreciation is a powerful tool of motivation. Moreover, when it comes to your career, it is clear that is your responsibility, and not a job for others only. In some organizations, the culture is distrustful of motivation. The focus is on work and "move it", regardless of the human consequences. Anyway, let the United Nations, set the standard for its internal administration, as it proudly declares to the world at large, human rights, of course.
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