Let's Play!

Why PLAY is a Bigger Motivator than Purpose 🤯 WHAT?

A bigger motivator at work than purpose?! Yup. It's PLAY.

I've devoted the last 10+ years of my career helping individuals, teams and organizations discover, articulate, activate and embed their purpose. I love purpose. I believe in purpose. And, as it turns out – per Lindsay McGregor & Neel Doshi's work and in their book "Primed to Perform" – play is the most powerful motivator, two times more powerful than purpose 🤯 🎯 🎉 

And, it makes sense. Play is directly connected to our activity whereas purpose is one order removed from the actual work. Play is doing something for the sheer enjoyment of doing it. Play is connected to our strengths and Flow Theory. Purpose is being motivated by the impact that our work has on another. It's once removed from our activity. Still motivating, just not as motivating as play. 

Uh, kinda mind blowing and worth noting for managers, leaders and us all. 

Put everything together and McGregor and Doshi speak to what they call Total Motivation or "ToMo" for short. They distinguish between Direct Motives – Play, Purpose & Potential – and Indirect Motives – Emotional Pressure, Economic Pressure and Inertia. We want to maximize the Direct Motives and minimize the Indirect Motives for our highest Total Motivation as individuals, teams and organizations.

Want to learn more? Watch the video below and get your play on! 👏 👏