RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

This lively RSA Animate, adapted from Dan Pink's talk at the RSA, illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace.
Watch the full lecture here: http://www.thersa.org/events/video/vi...

Find out more about the RSA at http://www.thersa.org
Join the RSA on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thersaorg
------
This audio has been edited from the original event by Becca Pyne. Series produced by Abi Stephenson, RSA. Animation by Cognitive Media.

To listen to the full audio, please visit http://www.thersa.org/events/audio-an...

• Category

  Film & Animation

[spiritd4ys]

currently I am doing a programming course I hate, if I complete the course I am virtually guaranteed a great job with a good salary but that alone is just not enough to motivate me, I want to be doing something more creative and less technical, It is so hard to sit down and study because I have no personal investment in the work I need to do, 2 more years left of this course but instead of studying for my exams in 2 weeks Id rather go on youtube :( , 1st world problems eh? :(

[best496]

The best thing I could say about that is give everything all you have, go crazy. Don't stop for anything. When you're bored or tired trick your mind into thinking you're interested and have energy. If that doesn't work enough then get angry and push through. Yell as loud as you can and keep going. Think of yourself as the best. Even when you think something will hurt you or even kill you shove those feelings out of the way and just do it. Sprint your way through life.

[MidwichKitten]

That's really surprising to hear! I only got a programming degree myself so I would have at least one skill to apply to creative projects...

[Ahmed Mahmoud]

Same here :(

[sor3999]

Even the people who made what generates the web pages we see today (PHP) have a separate business that sells server software. and people who work on "open source" are paid by third party companies like Google. Many open source projects may be managed by a paid elite few, but there are MANY free tiny contributions to help make it better. It takes no effort at all to shoot an email to warn of a security hole or crash. You or your company relies on the software being good. So why not?

[sor3999]

But open source isn't always free. Sounds weird to say that because couldn't you just steal it? Licensing. Many enterprise level software is free (may not be open source) and yet they still make money by enforcing a license on businesses while keeping it free for a student to use and learn and when he goes out in the work force will want to use that same software. This is why M$ offers their ENTIRE software collection for free to some schools. "Free" is another business model.

[sor3999]

See the layman get confused about the whole "open source" movement. To the layman, it means free software. But it really started originally so that students can learn from a practical application. The precursor of Linux is Minux which was a basic OS designed to teach the inner workings of an OS. Even from Linux, Linus propositions developers over the world if they wanted a project to do he has one for them. It was the equivalent of playing in bars for free. To get your feet wet.

[keerthiko]

Be creative! Think about what kinds of problems your soon-to-be-had programming skills can solve! Google, skype, facebook, are all creative problems at their core, and all the "technical" stuff was built over many many years with many people offering their services. But they solve (or make progress towards) huge problems humanity has faced for a long time. Don't dismiss programming as a "more technical, less creative" thing. It's a vehicle for your creativity. Embrace your creativity through it!

[sor3999]

You say that once money worries is no longer their minds people can focus on "purpose" and all that, but what about the insanity of insatiable greed? Money is ALWAYS on their minds no matter how much they make. Accumulating paper is their purpose in life. After all, while the musician or scientists seeks purpose and mastery... so does the master in business administration.

[sor3999]

"Surprising truth" it says. This might only be surprising to money grubbing assholes.

[LonelyWolfRecordz]

This means jacque fresco's resource base economy is a good idea! nice

[Chloe Lee]

Wow his hand writing is so nice. I hate mine.