Money Not the Top Motivator

[Whitney Hill]

What motivates you? I am not going to say that money is not a powerful motivator, but the more I have been around successful businessmen and women who have developed wealth and/or happiness, I have found that money usually is not the prime motivator. Don't get me wrong, money is important. It would be hard to survive in our society without it, but the prime motivation for most truly successful people is not money or what it can buy. Money is an important score card for business. Not making a profit in your business will put you out of business, and making money providing a contribution to mankind is a good thing. When I use the word contribution, I consider the oil company that provides me the gas at the gas pump to be as important as the hospital that provides medical service or the non profit that provides a charitable service. Many fortunes in the United States are made by coming up with a better way of doing things (ie Microsoft, Walmart, Google, Facebook etc.). What I am getting at is that once ones basic needs are taken care of there are a lot of other motivators than money that drives people to success:

• Loving what they do
• Appreciation and a feeling of importance
• Serving God and mankind
• A dream or vision
• Recognition and notoriety
• Status in society
• Achieving excellence

I am writing this article for two reasons. First of all I think business in general in our society gets a bad wrap in the public discussion. A myth permeates our society that strong government control over a free market place is necessary because the predominate driving force in the marketplace is greed, when in fact for most businessmen it is quite the opposite. For every Bernie Madoff out there, there are thousands of honest business men and women, who make positive contributions to society. Second... getting back to my main point. Have you found what motivates you? Are you excited to get up each day? For a lot of us that are making mid life career changes, there is an opportunity to reevaluate where we spend most of our time and start doing what we really want to do.

Whitney Hill

Carolina Web Consultants, Inc

[Leslie Flowers]

Respectfully disagree. People may 'say' they are not about money and greed, but in their heart of hearts, they are afraid and filled with lack. That is what they believe and what we believe matches our world. There are as many honest as dishonest people in the world. I assert 3 % of business people "love people and use money." And I assert that 97% of people "love money and use people." Two sides every time, however, business people are part of the masses.

Besides public speaking NOT HAVING ENOUGH drives almost everyone, regardless of the fact they may step on another's back, lie, cheat and steal to get it.

Glad you brought this up so I could dis-aligned and acknowledge at the same time! Thanks Whitney!

[Carol Riddick, Lyoness, Raleigh]

Great post. Whitney, I have always read... and experienced, that Recognition is the #1 motivator. I find it amusing and fun to see how hard people will work to own bragging rights for a trophy/tee shirt, or token of some sort, when the paycheck does not have the same effect. #2 is being part of something greater then oneself, ie team, organization, etc. #3 Food! LOL and in 4th place, finally is money.

Leslie... I'd hate to think I live in a world where 97% of people love money and USE people. Sad. That is not my experience at all. Personally, my experience would be almost the opposite of what was typed. Not to say that I have not run into people w/no integrity and cheaters, from time to time, because I do. I just find them to be in the lower percentage of the business folks I know.

Now politicians.... a different story! LOL
Y'all have a great day!

[Whitney Hill]

Recognition is always free to give too. As Pat calls "free love".

[Carol Riddick, Lyoness, Raleigh]

You bet!

[Diogenes Ruiz]

Good post Brother Whitney! Bad news and misinformation sells. Good news has to fight a little harder for the exposure. That's why "free love" for things that build community and reinforce good values is so important.

Unfortunately, I think Leslie is right that at this time, the majority of the driving force in the marketplace is greed. the evidence and aftermath is all around us. If most people took your post to heart then there would be a shift away from greed/fear. We have a ways to go though. For this very reason it's not only good, but absolutely necessary that your view on this be shared over and over and that we take it to heart.

Thanks for sharing!

[Diogenes Ruiz]

Clarification: please note that "driving force" is not the same as "people". There could be 10% of people creating 90% of the driving force in our economy. I'm not sure where the numbers split but the force can be clearly felt.

[Whitney Hill]

The article and the discussion on it to me represent one of the biggest divides in the country today, but definitely a discussion that needs to be had. Thanks for the comments.