A review by kimball_hansen
Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations by Dan Ariely

3.0

I'll give this 3.5 stars. It was a nice short read. And the author is a burn victim.

Notes:

Knowing what drives us and others is an essential step towards enhancing the inherit joy and minimizing the confusion in our lives.

When we are acknowledged for our work we are willing to work harder and for less pay. When we aren't acknowledged we lose motivation. Acknowledgement is human interaction and is also like a gift from one person to another.

What to do to change the situation when it is impossible to change the circumstances? Answer: Change your mental framing.

When we work harder and spend a bit more time and effort, we feel a greater sense of ownership and thus enjoy more the fruits of our efforts. This is why I think 3D printing will grow and flourish more in the future because it has the design and stamp of our own creativity.

Raising kids are the greatest customization projects we can do.

When we're in the middle of a task we think of the intrinsic benefits. But when we think of the task in advance we over-focus on the extrinsic motivators. That's why we're not good at predicting what will motivate us and what won't (pizza, cash, or simply an attaboy).

Haha I loved this pretend dialog, "So my darling do you want to renew our relationship vows for another day?" Try saying that tomorrow when when you wake up with your lover. Then return and report.

A society without trust isn't a society. Trust delivers more progress.

The author mentioned giving away your inheritance before you die. This makes sense. Why do we wait until after we're dead to pass along our wealth? Wouldn't it bring us greater satisfaction to see the loved one's responses?

And finally, the author ended it with: since motivation is so complex there is not a simple answer to the question, "What motivates us?" but to motivate ourselves and others we need to provide a sense of connection and meaning first.