Why do we go through the trouble to get up every weekday to commute to work? Sure we need the money and it can be fun to spend the day with our coworkers. However, are their motivational factors that make the difference when it comes to committing ourselves fully to our jobs and businesses?
This is a question of great interest to behavioral economist Dan Ariely. So much so that he did several experiments which aimed to probe deep into how people assign value to the work they do. The results of the experiments were shared in a TED Talk. From the video description:
What motivates us to work? Contrary to conventional wisdom, it isn’t just money. But it’s not exactly joy either. It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work.
Efficient Librarian 