Something to get you thinking on a Monday morning! I saw this on Stuart Delony’s blog over the weekend which in turn came from the Catalyst Blog. It’s an animated presentation from a talk by Daniel Pink based on his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.
He states that science shows three factors that lead to better performance in people: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. It’s a ten minute video but quite interesting in understanding about motivation in people and subsequently, organisations. I think there could be some useful application here for why people help out at voluntary organisations like youth clubs.
The Video: RSA Animate – Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
6 responses to “What is our motivation?”
Loved this book and glad to see other guys in ministry reading it. Share any insights?
Hi Paul, I've not actually read it yet! Care to share anything yourself? I'll be certain to write something up once I've got to grips with it.
The findings of the book are summarized in most people, for most long term tasks aren't motivated by extrinsic values. In other words, money, gifts, etc. don't really motivate people for most work. In fact, they demotivate people especially in creative fields.
What I took away is in how we are created and what we do as believers. I am convinced that we are unique, diverse people who have specific purposes for our lives (Eph.2:10). I think the more we find those unique purposes and callings, learn how to use them and work within the systems available or create new systems, the more motivated and fulfilled we are.
Most youth have no idea what they were designed for and flounder in attempts to do what others are doing. The same could be said for most youth ministers. When someone steps outside of the expectations, which are usually a summary of the best of everyone (like girls looking in fashion magazines and finding the best eyes, legs, hair, etc.) and gives themselves permission to find out what their couple of really awesome things are, then they become more of what God calls his masterpiece.
We have a kid in our group who has been known by everyone as a bully. I was trying to get him to see himself the way others do and walk him through that. One of my leaders noticed something and told him a bit of truth. “hey, you are known for this, wouldn't it be cool if a year from now, you have 3 friends who are your friends mostly because you are their defender instead of their bully?” Guess what happened. That is just one of the stories that has come out of this idea that God created us to be motivated by something he already put inside us, that we see when we give up on trying to be something else and looking at what he gifted us for (which often is the thing that we suck at from trying to be something else, btw).
Anyway, that's a brief idea of what I took away.
Thanks Paul, that's really interesting and I like the way you've related it to your practical youth work – especially how motivating the bully changed his behaviour!
I wonder, if most youth have no idea what they were designed for, is it our role to help them find that motivation and if so, what's the best way of doing that?
Jon, I would say that most people have no clue what they were created for, and most don't even have an idea that it could change their lives. I haven't always thought this, but I am becoming convinced that discipleship is mostly helping people see this about themselves (to see themselves how Jesus sees them).
I look back through the scriptures and there is an element in this with almost, if not every, encounter Jesus had with people. Peter, Samaritan woman, Judas, Zacheus, etc. What Jesus often did was to awaken something inside of people that called them into paradigm shifts. Even the Pharisees had it, though they rejected it.
I just can't get away from this thought that the gospel isn't just for fire insurance, but is for discipleship. And the good news is as unique to each person as they are. There is a universal gospel that is vague and un-distinct, but that is detached from the personal nature of Christ. What rings true to me more and more is that Jesus saved me from my arrogance, from my avoidant nature of covering up and pretending to be something else.
Since being led to this, I have not done ministry in the same way. It is completely different than anything I have done before. Scary beyond belief, it is, but also more rewarding and natural to me.
It's been good processing this out with you. I can't wait to see your next couple of posts. God bless.
Hi Paul, thanks for taking the time to comment on here. It's always great to dialogue with others!