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Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation cover art

Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation

Written by: Edward L. Deci, Richard Flaste
Narrated by: Douglas James
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Publisher's Summary

What motivates us as students, employees, and individuals?

If you reward your children for doing their homework, they will usually respond by getting it done. But is this the most effective method of motivation? No, says psychologist Edward L. Deci, who challenges traditional thinking and shows that this method actually works against performance. The best way to motivate people - at school, at work, or at home - is to support their sense of autonomy. Explaining the reasons why a task is important and then allowing as much personal freedom as possible in carrying out the task will stimulate interest and commitment, and it is a much more effective approach than the standard system of reward and punishment. We are all inherently interested in the world, argues Deci, so why not nurture that interest in each other? Instead of asking, "How can I motivate people?" we should be asking, "How can I create the conditions within which people will motivate themselves?"

"An insightful and provocative meditation on how people can become more genuinely engaged and successful in pursuing their goals." (Publisher's Weekly)
©1995 Edward L. Deci and Richard Flaste (P)2019 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC
Psychology Personal Success Human Motivation
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Profile Image for Oren Weintraub

One of the best books on human motivation

Relevant content we can apply to our lives, especially in understanding the role of autonomy in staying motivated and motivating others.

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