What makes us feel good about our work? | Dan Ariely

What motivates us to work? Contrary to conventional wisdom, it isn't just money. But it's not exactly joy either. It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work. (Filmed at TEDxRiodelaPlata.)
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[@othmane-mezian]

I personally wish success and happiness for you and anyone reading this! You WILL overcome your tribulations by remaining that GREAT person that you are! I KNOW it! Just keep going.

[@rhondah1587]

Excellent talk. I've been saying much the same thing for years but people just look at me like I'm nuts. Glad to see another who thinks like I do and even has evidence to show how it actually works. I told my old boss years ago he could be away with paying me less if he was just a bit more appreciative of my efforts. He didn't get it then or ever.

[@EmilySokolow]

Love the origami experiment. Working harder on something more complicated and finishing it successfully instills feelings of pride, accomplishment and attachment. To those disconnected, it's simply not interesting.

[@ShivamAgarwal404]

The most awesome talk. I worked for a company and felt like in the situation with the shredder. Beautifully explained !!!

[@pppinto97]

Fucking worse. Hope you're alright now

[@nO_d3N1AL]

Ariely's talk are always fascinating. Good things to know, and so broad that almost anyone can relate to them

[@theworklifehub398]

We loved this sentence from Dan "By getting people to work harder, you actually got them to love what they're doing into a higher degree". Great video and thought-provoking ideas on "meaning" "efficiency" "talent".

[@riccardoconte6155]

unfortunately they found out he faked his research, faking his data 😅

[@h0tie]

I learned so much from this talk and began to see things of higher value makes you more appreciative of it! Putting your thought into what little things people do is what makes you and them find meaning to be together for a purpose

[@BarkelsLifts]

i love his talks. his research is genius.

[@bwilks271]

Another fantastic and thought provoking presentation Dan! Thanks!!

[@HugDealer]

Prof Ariely is one of the best psychology researchers in my opinion. He is just so awesome and his research so practical and insightful!

[@UrTotallyPro]

I really like these TEDtalks.... i feel smarter after watching them.

[@JasmineTrotter118]

I loved this! The cake mix experiment was on point !

[@RainerGrau]

Nice TEC talk by Dan Ariely about what motivates to put effort and engagement into something - thanks Richards for sending the link.

[@davidhalifax]

work that has meaning, what a concept !

[@srinivasanj929]

Wow, its beautiful explained between Efficiency and Meaning ..Great examples..

[@youraveragenanamistan]

He's so right.That was amazing!!!

[@Rebasepoiss]

Another excellent talk by Dan Ariely. This guy is amazing :)

[@kenmas93]

This video really resonates with how I feel in college right now... I would try harder if I felt that there was more continuity to my school work.

[@yellowcat25]

Any Coursera students? Love Dan Ariely, freaking brilliant man!

[@fernandoakiraendo]

I enjoyed it a lot! Thank you!

[@andrineslife]

I really relate to the ignored = shredded thing, when teachers give you homework, and then ignores it, and just carries on with class, I get really demotivated to do it next time.

[@Ibakecookiess]

this speaker is fantastic. I strongly recommend his other talks.

[@4thlineforlife]

I'd really like to meet Dan Ariely. The guy is so wise

[@shyi1242]

Go to Duke and pick him up!

[@iShallEatChips]

Watching this as part of school assigment...

[@JanZajc9381]

same

[@MegaBig11111]

Same

[@chechenabdulmatin8506]

same like me lol

[@danielbrown1139]

same

[@user-tx2um1fl6s]

For me it's my quiz 😅

[@ARTEllipsepaintings]

This is good... more efforts to something creates love and liking

[@Timothymukansi]

I love Dan's talks

[@casperbadenhorst1679]

The cake story hammers home! Excellent talk!

[@hsien-lienhuang3217]

really meaningful lecture

[@PetyaKirisheva]

It really is one of the best courses I've attended on Coursera so far :)

[@400djr]

Awesome, thanks Dan

[@1991araaron]

Boy Im thankful this medium that is TED

[@kkknotcool]

I always love it when people with money say money is not the biggest motivator.

[@riderone8552]

kkknotcool When greed is absent, people who adhere simple lifestyle, eventually spent their excess income on donation or good will. Greedy people will just spent it on luxury.

[@sickley2]

There's definitely a threshold at which money is no longer the biggest motivator, and that threshold is much lower than you think. His ideas, for instance, are far more applicable to countries with higher avg household income and lower avg unemployment. Just think to yourself what jobs you would and would not be willing to do 40 hrs/week year round for $50k/year. There's all kinds of motivators, and depending on each person's specific needs and personality differentiates at what importance each motivator plays. In "1st world" countries the majority of people are not PRIMARILY motivated by money, it is certainly a big motivator, but rarely number 1. It is why the majority of american's hate their job despite how much or how little they make.

[@TheShreyasBramhe]

It's only the filthy rich who say money can't buy happiness.

[@kkknotcool]

@@TheShreyasBramhe I wouldn't say filthy rich. If you have a few million then you aren't especially rich but you own your own time, which would make me pretty meh on money. IE the lack of money makes you more unhappy then the excess makes you happy.

[@vansbakery]

I had this one class at this community college where we're given the task to write a report and create a presentation within 2 weeks. It's a group work and worth about 30% of our final mark. We put full effort into it putting at least 20 hours of work every week. We submitted our report and presented in front of the class, after a few days or so we have gotten our marks and our report back. One thing we noticed is that our written report wasn't checked at all and we are marked based on our presentation. We had the same teacher the next semester, the attendance of the class decreases as weeks goes by and students seem to care less about the projects and assignment that his giving as they're not being evaluated.

[@pppinto97]

Pretty obvious

[@midnitexstar]

Brilliant.

[@prashanthb6521]

Very good info. Thanks a lot.

[@janiesuper3222]

14:25 i always wondered about that!!! thanks for this video now i can explain alot of why i get unmotivated sometimes

[@leeray1876]

we always feel confused about life,but life continue,and history goes on

[@rossplendent]

Man, those were so awesome!

[@plalash]

I always enjoy the talk of Dan...as he gives the real fact with experimental examples, that is the more iconic one to relate all this.. vary clearly.

[@iesika7387]

If you want people to build many more toys for less to no compensation, instead of taking the toy apart at the end, have them hand it to a child. Actually making something someone else is going to use, actually providing a service someone needs or wants, is a huge factor in how fulfilling a job is. So many of our businesses don't actually add any real value to anyone's life, and that's more depressing than anything. I was a lot more proud of my work when I made tombstones than selling software that people can use to sell software to other people who want to sell software, even though I'm making twice as much money.

[@Unshur03]

Great Talk.

[@petestrat07]

Yup, this pretty much covers the factory working experience though no doubt it extends to every workplace.

[@dumbobg]

Interestingly enough, I have an exam in Organisational studies next month and I was supposed to study about it, but ended up watching a TED lecture about the same subject :D

[@andrewmanford]

wow that's an awesome way to put it. great comment, thanks.

[@rothriss8157]

this was a really great talk

[@LeRoiJojo]

Dan is tha man!

[@dreaminginnoother]

what I have gotten from this talk 1. It makes sense that even though I have poured countless hours into music, other people's lack of care for it has led me to feel like quitting 2. Since I made it I probably thought it was way better than it really was anyway fml

[@hemchandrankannan5303]

I'm Watching this as a feature of my college assigment.I loved this sentence from Dan "By getting individuals to work more earnestly, you really got them to adore what they're doing into a higher degree". Extraordinary video and provocative thoughts on "signifying" "proficiency" "ability". Indeed, this practically covers the manufacturing plant working knowledge however no uncertainty it reaches out to each workplace.And you know, Ariely just tended to a solitary case made by Marx. He didn't guarantee that everything Marx said is correct or that Communism is the best approach. Because Carl Marx said it doesn't mean it definitely prompts Communism. Loved the origami test. Working more enthusiastically on something increasingly confused and completing it effectively ingrains sentiments of pride, achievement and connection. To those disengaged, it's basically not intriguing. Finally,this video really resonates with how I feel in college right now... I would try harder if I felt that there was more continuity to my school work.

[@SophieLaF0ntaine]

Around 7:50... there is an exception...that is, IF I am building something for the sole purpose of having a toddler nephew destroy it (for the pure joy of the destruction) - I can build many many bionicles while watching him destroy with great joy the one I just built. The exception is if there is meaning in the destruction.

[@katjathesaurus3800]

toddlers can. bigger men just do bigger distruction or constraction. ... just dont fn go on future territory, old timer

[@ceciliasmith8058]

SophieLaF0ntaine I

[@ybefutile]

Great talk!

[@l0vablelinda]

I'm sorry that I quit watching this video a while back because my internet disconnected. insightful experiments and talk.

[@luisdiogocruz]

Nice work !!

[@warcraftfreeky]

That was awesome.

[@Ocasek77]

thanks

[@HigherPlanes]

I want it all!

[@PokeMePT]

17:37 the man with the brown jacket on the bottom left is clearly very captivated by dan's presentation!

[@zebrazrok]

The idea that someone sees more worth in something they created based off of their work and not actual value it reminds of etsy. I've seen some pretty Overpriced ugly and cheap pieces. It's all a matter of how you look at things. This may be one o my favorite Ted talks to date :)

[@hospital0071]

good talks!!

[@ryankingham948]

I read this guy's book it was great

[@late_arvie]

You made me smile : ) And yes. The video is nice indeed.

[@chrisdrakekaka]

Dan is the best

[@pratyushlal7256]

Fantastic!!

[@funkyasl]

Very interesting video. Had me glued till the end.

[@rvemula63]

It's awesome!

[@krism379]

the cake-theorie opend my eyes! thank you!

[@infiniteexo3209]

Watching this as a part of my psychiatric nursing book.

[@srimansrini]

Dan Ariely gives interesting study about the human nature. A wonderful talk connected behavioral economics and very relevant. A very interesting study about the factors behind motivation. It's not money...honey....

[@tinayip1220]

Open School ac

[@Sal1981]

Every economist should watch this vid, and more than once, so the ideas stick.

[@SantiagoDebus]

17:37 me next to the hairless guy

[@youngwarriorpopocaca]

This was great

[@BlairWarner]

I think it can depend on personality. Some people have to have meaning to their work, and some have to have joy (or, enjoy it). I do agree, though, that most need to have a purpose.

[@Ndo01]

Wow this explains a lot. Dan Ariely is amazing.

[@hayeder]

The new opening sequence is WAY better.

[@marcelowarkentin5953]

Great video.

[@siddharthr7142]

Having made 6 career changes over the last decade, this resonates so much with my thoughts on today's Great Resignation!

[@nabeelhakeem3593]

Why?

[@ftrecordingstudio4034]

Mentioned this in Colindale

[@symethyang08]

Hahaha, funny. I got emotional watching this video. I almost cried because, in reality, this always happened. great video

[@JavierAguirreCHEF]

I love what i do! plus the money is good!

[@madelinewhite9501]

What do you do?

[@1DancingDuck]

this is so good... :)

[@TehWit]

Very interesting, I need to get my hands on managers' brains so I can teach them some =)

[@HarindermintyModelTownldh]

one minded approach is the real work dear.. if v r multitasking -no good results + no entertainment ..just focus and do ur best and make it less complicated to understand.......

[@doub1eU]

I was definitely oversimplifying in my frustration towards the comment i was responding to, because I definitely agree with you; that is probably a more accurate characterization of the root of the problem regarding America's partisan politics. I think nothing is more ironic than George Washington's warning that a party system would be the downfall of the U.S.

[@silverchairsg]

I can absolutely picture the Bionicle in-universe villian Makuta Teridax doing the Sisyphus thing to his enemies.

[@slaakbaf]

where can I find his research paper about the experiment?

[@0MoTheG]

Writing papers and tests for university makes me feel just this way.

[@johnmorgan9023]

Giọng hát của ah Đức phúc hát đúng tâm trạng hay quá

[@GustavoLeig]

Money isn´t everything but it´s 100%

[@CourtneyCoulson]

Hells yes, Bionicles! Oh and good talk too I guess. Oh nostalgia.

[@andresadead]

Estoy aquí por Proyecto G :D Que genial presentación

[@vl2378]

"by getting people to work harder, you get them to enjoy what they're doing to a higer degree"

[@PawlTV]

Finally the intro doesn't wreck my ears anymore!

[@iamalaser4185]

Ah, in 2023 this video has aged like fine wine

[@noelitavita]

Muito bom!

[@othmane-mezian]

Was this in Brazil?

[@noelitavita]

@@othmane-mezian No.

[@othmane-mezian]

@@noelitavita Muchas gracias

[@noelitavita]

@@othmane-mezian De nada.

[@PokeMePT]

let me just also point out that i actually don't plan on staying in the UK, i'm going to do a placement year in a private equity firm in portugal next year. I could have got a better paid placement in the UK in terms of salary but working in private equity will give me so many more benefits than the salary that it isn't even something i take into consideration right now

[@rc....]

15:30 parents feel the same way

[@mattc8046]

I think is the video casey neistat was talking about 11/2/2016

[@ahtahs9]

Matt C came here because of Casey too

[@MarufHossain-ft5iv]

haha

[@cnl1213]

Just saw his documentary on Dishonesty on Netflix too, that's quite good also.

[@floatingapple]

Whenever i cook it always feel like it tasted better :)

[@JunoKuno]

are there any ted talks about how to get motivated? I know that once you start, it feels good to work hard. but what if it's a huge long term project that isnt fun but is important. what do you do to start that project? how do you motivate yourself?

[@OurNewestMember]

Cathy Kuang : attempt different projects.

[@dchangebegins]

This wil reduce corruption..vey sure! Last 10 minutes was vey good.

[@MendigoLouco]

I suggest you all to join his course at Coursera, it's awesome.

[@VomitTidalwave]

digging a hole and filling it in over and over.... reminds me of the military...