Releasing the carrot/stick in favor of intrinsic motivation

We are unconscious, impulsive creatures — are we not? Reactivity is our norm. We’ve developed an addictive habit of reward and punishment that doesn’t seem to go away.

Who doesn’t love a good carrot? Dangled out there, juicy, sweet, waiting for our taste buds to absorb. Carrots come in many shapes and sizes. The promise of reward is a powerful motivator, gets us moving, striving, reaching for successes — large and small.

Isn’t receiving a reward a good thing? Let’s explore.

One prominent carrot is money. Human beings do all kinds of wicked things to get our hands on the dough, the Benjamins, the big green harvest. Always alluring, money promises us more time, more power, more fulfillment. Yet, it also leaves us wanting more. Like the addict under the bridge, it’s one more hit, one more high, but the down-spiral inevitably follows.

Another carrot we’re terribly fond of is educational and career attainment. Work hard to get the degree and your life will be infinitely better (mostly due to the promise of making more money). You will be highly respected, honored for your skills and wisdom. Seen as smart and capable, pay no attention to the student loan debt you’ll be paying for decades to come, it’s a small price to pay in in our knowledge economy. Chase the promotion…