Are You Autotelic?
February 6th, 2009 § 2 Comments
That was the subject of an email I got from [my brother]. Here was the body:
I came across this and thought of you.
Here’s a excerpt from Wikepedia:
Autotelic is used to describe people who are internally driven, and as such may exhibit a sense of purpose and curiosity. This determination is an exclusive difference from being externally driven, where things such as comfort, money, power, or fame are the motivating force.
I think my bro was right to think of me. After I read it I was like “No wonder I can’t keep a job to save my life.” 
It seems like pretty much everyone must start life being autotelic and it gets smothered out over time.
It’s too bad that money plays such a strong role in what motivates people to do things. I look forward to creating jobs that satisfy a person’s internal motivators. I’ll have to look into it deeper, but I have a feeling that many of the [Fortune 2009 - Best Companies List] include companies that do a good job catering to their employees internal motivators (along with good compensation).
Thought I’d share the term.
I guess the whole “money” thing is to satisfy people’s desire to have a roof over their heads and eat. Now, you can find ways to make those things require more or less money depending on what you’re comfortable with, and then you have to work harder or not so hard at making money.
It seems like pretty much everyone must start life being autotelic and it gets smothered out over time.
–Naw, actually I don’t think so. I think it’s a personality thing and increases with time, age or whatever. Some people are just born lazy or “unmotivated”.