Does money motivate? The topic of Motivation came up in a discussion

Bumped again in 2009 to link to "Business Coach" Touts Basing Pay on KPIs

if you are interested in making a contemporary reply in this old thread, one thing to consider is addressing the aspect of age in the equation.

I suppose I have a bit of a different perspective since I am such a cheap, miserly bastard that I have saved and invested much of what I have earned since the age of 24. Money isn't really a critical motivator anymore (albeit it is a nice way of 'keeping score'). I'm more motivated by whether the work is interesting and gratifying.

Marc said:

Bumped again in 2009 to link to "Business Coach" Touts Basing Pay on KPIs

if you are interested in making a contemporary reply in this old thread, one thing to consider is addressing the aspect of age in the equation.

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I am looking from the point of those freshies who recently joined the working class. In the beginning they can afford to be choosy and idealistic (money doesn't mean everything) but when it comes to time to settle down - where they need to start or plan for a whole family, things will be a lot different and money certainly counts and motivate.

In the Asian context, there is a preference for employing married people because they are viewed as more stable (because there is a family and 'money' to consider should one think of throwing in the towel).

harry said:

I am looking from the point of those freshies who recently joined the working class. In the beginning they can afford to be choosy and idealistic (money doesn't mean everything) but when it comes to time to settle down - where they need to start or plan for a whole family, things will be a lot different and money certainly counts and motivate.

In the Asian context, there is a preference for employing married people because they are viewed as more stable (because there is a family and 'money' to consider should one think of throwing in the towel).

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Hello Harry! Wishing you well!

In my case it was the opposite: I saved money like some sort of grotesque little Swiss gnome up to nearly this point in my life - now I regret not marrying and having kids. I recently dated a woman I would have loved to have sprouted a kid or two with, but unfortunately it was a long-distance relationship - she lives in the Florida Keys, I live nearly 400 miles/600km north from her and she broke up with me after meeting a guy closer to home (although we remain close friends and I visited her and her dad over this last weekend.)

Fortunately my best friend/ semi-adopted big sister Marianne has, at the tender age of fifty-one, twelve grandkids (!) who call me Grampa John. Grandkid hugs are the best hugs there are, and the added benefit is that I get to have grandkids without having to raise teenagers who certainly would have been at the very least as annoying as I was.

Kind Regards, Harry! -John

P.S. : Harry, I don't know if you are married, but if you aren't I know a very intelligent, very nice, and very good-looking woman in Malaysia, down in Miri in Sarawak Province on Borneo.. 45 minute flight from Johore, max. I'm just saying.

Hi John. Thanks for the kind thoughts and well wishes. Yes, I remember your Avatar a while back (you were with your lady friend?). Anyway, few people have the discipline to save like you and you ought to be proud of that trait - one things for sure, you have no worries for the future.

Have you been to Sarawak? Nice place and exceptionally nice people there. Unfortunately, I did not know any Sarawak Ladies until after I had settled down.
Too late to take up your good offer either.

Yep, no doubt about it, money is probably the biggest motivator.

Let's put it this way, would I take a more senior position for less money? No.

And I've yet to find anyone who would take a more senior position for less money than they currently earn.

It's easy to say money is not a motivator when you're relatively secure with savings and securities.
But the money that you've earned during your job has been the motivator to aquire this status.

The human race is primarily greedy, so wealth is another form of security and social standing. Why else would people chose to display their wealth with very expensive houses and cars?

John Nabors said:

I suppose I have a bit of a different perspective since I am such a cheap, miserly bastard that I have saved and invested much of what I have earned since the age of 24. Money isn't really a critical motivator anymore (albeit it is a nice way of 'keeping score'). I'm more motivated by whether the work is interesting and gratifying.

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I must agree with John. I drive a 13 year old car and have no desire to upgrade. What motivates me is the stimulation I get from what I am doing. Money does help, but it does not get the best out of you.

zamclachia said:

I must agree with John. I drive a 13 year old car and have no desire to upgrade.

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Actually, sir, I can sort of top that - until a bit over five years ago, for many, many years I drove a 1971 Volvo 164. :mg: Loved that car. The engine finally gave up the ghost after a mere 515000 miles/824000km. Sigh. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

When the old Volvo went to the Great Driveway In The Sky in early 2004, I bought a nice, sensible Nissan pickup, and that's what I'm driving now.

Kind Regards -John

Denis said:

Yep, no doubt about it, money is probably the biggest motivator.

Let's put it this way, would I take a more senior position for less money? No.

And I've yet to find anyone who would take a more senior position for less money than they currently earn.

It's easy to say money is not a motivator when you're relatively secure with savings and securities.
But the money that you've earned during your job has been the motivator to aquire this status.

The human race is primarily greedy, so wealth is another form of security and social standing. Why else would people chose to display their wealth with very expensive houses and cars?

Click to expand...

Motivation is different things to different people . But i guess that everyone wants to succeed. What is your definition of success? Income level? status or position/role,? Personal goals achieved? Recognition by others?

There are a lot of factors to consider that motivates people.
e.g. work values – some motivated by security and stability, others motivated by service to other, etc.
problem solving approaches – some are risk-taker, some are risk-averse
personal/interpersonal styles – there are introverts, others are extroverts. Some are biased toward thinking/feeling, others are structured /flexible
work preferences – some wants creating new ideas, some fond of inspecting and ensuring quality standards and outcomes
etc etc

To an extent I agree that motivational factors are very individual. But I still stick with the financial reward being the biggest common denominator.

There is a personal level of the comfort factor involved here though. I've seen people who have aspired to that extra position (being promoted to their highest level of incompetence) driven primarily by money (and power).

Don't see too many senior managers being paid less that the shop floor operators, and I don't think many would work for less money doing the same job that they do now for professional job satisfaction.

Of course, all of this is just my opinion, doesn't make it right, doesn't mean I'm wrong either.

We are all too different from each other, and coloured by our experiences to give a classic answer.