Matching motivation to the task at hand
When I need to reach out to a bunch of people - LinkedIn, email, replying to messages - it’s rarely thrilling. So I make myself as comfortable as I can. Sofa. Favorite coffee drink. Music that makes my brain hum.
Sometimes I throw in a little reward: a cappuccino, a short video, a game after. That’s usually enough to get me ticking boxes.
These kinds of tasks don’t demand creativity or deep thought. They just need to get done. Like taxes. Proposals. Forms. Life admin.
But when the task is creative or challenging - designing a new scorecard, writing content, building something new - my motivation comes from progress. From doing it well. From seeing it land. From getting better.
And it turns out: that’s exactly how motivation works.
Welcome to SDT
“Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a psychology framework that explains human motivation and personality development. It proposes that individuals have innate needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and that fulfilling these needs is crucial for intrinsic motivation, well-being, and optimal functioning.”
Not all rewards work the same for all tasks.
In Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel Pink unpacks the science behind this. For creative, mastery-driven work? Don’t dangle a bonus. Don’t promise ice cream. The most effective reward is meaningful feedback, recognition, pride, and a sense of getting better.
But when the task is pure routine? That’s when perks work. That’s when your brain appreciates the "if-this-then-that" deal: Do this, then get a cappuccino.
The key is knowing the nature of your task.
And no matter what it is - boring or brilliant - one thing matters above all: autonomy. Give yourself the freedom to choose how to do the task. That’s what keeps you engaged. That’s what makes you come back.
So, what’s on your calendar this week?
What’s the nature of your tasks and what kind of motivation do they actually need?
PS I often think that most workplaces beat the motivation out of all the smart people by giving more perks for the tasks where recognition works a lot better.
