“The more money I have; the better life will be!” Millions of people today have fallen for the misconception that money creates happiness. However, these people are sadly mistaken. In Daniel Pink’s book Drive, he proves to the world that intrinsic motivation is much more powerful than the carrots and sticks on which society currently relies. In his book, Pink introduces us to two types of people: Type X and Type I. Type X includes most people in the world, who are focused on extrinsic rewards such as money. Type I focuses less on these rewards, and more on the happiness which comes from the activity. Because of this viewpoint, Type I cannot rely on the extrinsic rewards of current motivation. Instead, “Type I behavior depends on three nutrients: …show more content…
The definition of purpose is, “the reason for which something exists or is done” (“Purpose”). Daniel Pink seems to believe that purpose is the central focus of life. Everyone wants to be part of a greater purpose. Whether they are raising money for needy families or supporting breast cancer, having a purpose makes people feel good about themselves. Purpose motivates them to do what is right. But can purpose truly motivate as well as cold, hard cash? According to a 1970 study performed by Richard Titmuss, it works even better (“Is Paying”). In Titmuss’s study, he analyzed the effect rewards had on blood donations. His results were shocking. Titmuss found that paying people to donate their blood actually decreased donations (“Is Paying”). The only possible solution for this is the third nutrient: purpose. When people were rewarded for donating, they were no longer being driven by a greater purpose. Instead, their purpose was being perverted by extrinsic rewards, destroying their motivation. Another example of the effectiveness of purpose is in exercise programs. While many people today love to exercise, is it really that fun? According to participants of fitbie.com, most people love exercise because of the results it provides (Wells). It is not the activity itself that provides the happiness, but the purpose of the activity. As Kim Smith says, “I love exercise because I know I'm becoming stronger and healthier!” (Wells). The people who follow exercise programs don’t find happiness from the exhaustion, cramps, and soreness of their work. They are happy because they know that their work has a greater purpose. Purpose is a powerful path to happiness because it allows a person to know exactly what they are fighting for. When people fight for a purpose, there is no greater