Last week Hugh McLeod of Gaping Void published this image with a blog that simply said:
When looking for a career, consider this: What is going to make you happy long-term isn’t the salary, isn’t the perks, isn’t the social status. What is going to make you happy is the ability to be constantly learning something.
Arts, sciences, commerce, public service, it doesn’t matter- the more you’re learning, the more interesting your career becomes, end of story.
So when entering a profession, it behooves you to ask, is this something I can continually learn from, forever?
Today a few thoughts on learning, growth and what drives us as well as those we may lead.
Three themes today around learning and growing.
Mastery as a Motivator
Dan Pink, in his book “Drive”, talked about that, once basic needs are met, what motivates us are three things, one of which is “Mastery”, the desire to always be learning. I wrote about that in a post called:
“What moves you? Writing, sound, pictures?”
In that post, I included the sound and pictures of the RSA Animation video of Dan’s TED talk on this.
Growing and Improving
I have referenced the concept of Growth Mindset on this site many times, as well as writing about Carol Dweck’s book “Mindset“.
My friend Chip Conley has distilled this (see this article) to :
Fixed Mindset = To Prove
Growth Mindset = To Improve
I am, myself, always drawn towards people who are driven to constantly grow and learn, constantly improving. A few such people I’ve written about here (articles links in their names) and who are constantly sharing their new and growing ideas online are:
I encourage you to develop your own growth through spending time with people with this mindset as core to who you are. Do click those links, read about these people and follow them too.
Going beyond our basic needs and reaching for Peak Experiences
Abraham Maslow developed his “hierarchy of needs”.
Chip Conley took this into business and leadership with “Peak”.
As humans, we are wired for more than misery, the humdrum, the routine. We strive for peak experiences.
I wrote a “long read” on this in:
“What do your people need? Lessons from natural disasters”
Please do read this to now go beyond what YOU need as an individual to what your PEOPLE need.
If you want people to be motivated to stay with you and your organisation, keep giving them opportunities to learn and grow!