DRIVE: A Fresh Look at the Science of Motivation (with Daniel Pink)

The Next Big Idea

Next Big Idea Club

Self-improvement, Arts, Books, Society & Culture, Education

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 9 January 2025

⏱️ 70 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What drives human motivation? For years, the answer seemed simple: rewards. Dangle the right carrot — a bonus, stock options, "Employee of the Month" certificate — and people will perform. But Daniel Pink's 2009 bestseller "Drive" flipped this idea on its head. Drawing on decades of scientific research, Dan revealed that our deepest motivations come from within: the innate drive for autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Now, 15 years after "Drive" revolutionized our understanding of motivation, Dan joins us to discuss how this science has evolved and what it means for anyone trying to motivate themselves or others in today's rapidly changing world. 💿 You can find Dan's previous appearances on the show here 📰 And follow his Washington Post column "Why Not?" 🎧 Check out our Next Big Idea Classics episodes with James Clear and Kim Scott 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Transcript

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0:00.0	LinkedIn Presents.
0:01.0	You know, I've always believed that everything is better than when you share it.
0:08.0	So before I go, I wanted to share a graduation gift with you.
0:12.0	That's Oprah Winfrey, back in 2008, wrapping up a commencement address at Stanford.
0:18.0	She tells the 4,000 graduates seated before her, I really wanted to give you cards. That's her trademark move, after all.
0:26.6	You get a call! You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! You get a car!
0:30.6	That's a lot of cars. Too many. So instead...
0:36.6	Underneath your seats, you'll find two of my favorite books.
0:41.3	One is by a famous spiritual teacher. It's all about living in the now.
0:45.3	The other is a celebration of creativity, storytelling, invention, feats of right brain thinking.
0:52.3	It's called A Whole New Mind. And it's by lawyer turned
0:56.6	speechwriter turned author, Daniel Pink. Daniel Pink. Daniel H. Pink. With that Oprah giveaway,
1:03.7	Dan Pink achieved, in the words of the New York Times, full guru status, which sounds impressive.
1:14.5	But what does it actually mean? Well, it means that when you write your next big book, the whole world is watching. And when Dan Pink published Drive,
1:19.9	that's exactly what happened. I'm Rufus Griscombe, and this is Next Big Idea Classics.
1:26.9	Today, what really motivates people?
1:34.3	A new year means a new installment in our occasional series, Next Big Idea Classics,
1:40.4	where I sit down with the author of a classic book, one that changed the conversation when it debuted and has stood the test of time.
1:49.2	Today, that book is Drive, the surprising truth about what motivates us, written by my friend, the Next Big Idea Club curator, Daniel Pink.
1:58.3	I read it when it came out in 2009. A lot of people did. Drive hit number one on the
2:04.2	New York Times bestseller list. At the time, I was starting my third business, leading a team of
2:09.5	about 25 people, and Drive showed me that human motivation was far more complex and hopeful,
	...

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