First posted on Dev Letters
Motivation - Something that we all struggle with, and we all want to solve.
Being motivated through the entirety ...
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Interesting premise. I would be cautious suggesting there is one (using the definite article “the”) and a “correct” motivation. I think there are many, and they change over time.
I got into software development because I was sick and tired of being well-educated, yet poor (my degrees are in Music). Financial success is stil one of my motivations, but I have since come to love the craftsmanship of quality software.
It’s also true that our motivations may not always be “noble”. Being a musician in high school was as much about being attractive to girls as it was pursuing the magic of musicial expression. What gets you in the door might not keep you there. I would say that’s okay.
Our industry, like Life, isn’t one-size-fits-all. There is, I would say more than ever, a panoply of people from all walks of life with all sorts of motivations for being here. Maintaining a level of fluidity, inside and outside ourselves, will serve us well.
You are right. I changed the title to "The various levels of motivation".
Financial success can be defined as a fear of being poor or fear of earning below a certain income. I think that is one of my main motivations too, and that's fine. I think "fear" plays a major part in motivation. I wonder was that fear that got you into playing music in high school (missing out on girls) or was that the excitement of success (being attractive to girls) 🤔. There is a difference and I think internal motivation (in the context of the term used here) is more of an "excitement of success" based motivation.
Haha, both! The fear of not being attractive AND the excitement at the success.
Internal motivation is a good one. I think the main symptom of internal motivation is that you enjoy the doing not the having. ie I enjoy playing guitar because I like the experience. The goal is not to be a good guitarist, the goal is to play guitar. The latter will tend towards the former, but not the other way around.
You are right, I didn't think of it like that. It makes perfect sense.