Why are we working? 5 reasons other than money

Let’s start, though, with money. No matter how ironically about the “despicable metal”, 77% of employees admit that they are best motivated by good pay. But the value of the money earned for us is by no means exhausted by this.

What is interesting is that labor income has a different “value” for us than money that we got in some other way. “Modern Western culture distinguishes between “profane” and “sacred” money depending on their origin, explains psychologist Anna Fenko. “For example, an unexpected lottery win, inheritance, honorarium or bonus is treated as “special” money that is usually spent not on daily needs, but on the purchase of special items or unusual experiences.”

At the same time, the “profane” money we have earned can also turn out to be traps. One of the most typical is when we believe that our earnings are a measure of success. Essentially, this means that the amounts I receive show how much I am worth.

“People often identify themselves with the business they are doing,” comments psychotherapist and business coach Natalya Tumashkova. – This is laid down in childhood, when a child is told: “Why did you do this? You are bad!” And he learns: the evaluation of my deeds is the evaluation of my personality.

We strive to leave a mark on the world

The philosopher Hannah Arendt once described two kinds of work. One of them is necessary to maintain life, but in the process of such work we do not produce something that will remain for a long time. This type includes cooking, washing, cleaning and our other daily concerns, in which there is nothing specially human, and therefore a person in this case acts as an animal laborans, a “working animal”. The second type of work that humanity has always valued more is the production of objects that surround us, from cups and chairs to houses, bridges and airplanes.

We do not live in the bosom of nature, but surrounded by objects created by our hands. The accumulation of these items creates our world and gives it permanence. It is creation that makes a man a man – Arendt calls him homo faber, “a man who creates.” Today, this highest kind of work – work-creation – is rapidly being eroded. Among us, there are more and more of those who do nothing with their hands, but only talk and knock on the keyboard. This is how financiers, insurers, programmers, consultants work… They all generate, process and redirect information flows.

We need a lot of knowledge, effort, creativity and will to achieve a result, but the fruits of such work are ephemeral, they do not remain in the world, do not give it stability. The “creating man” can no longer feel what he produces, so it is difficult for him to rejoice in the work of his hands. Perhaps that is why many professionals in the middle of life feel a craving for manual labor, dream of baking bread, painting dishes or starting their own farm …

We want to develop

But in the modern world, self-realization is becoming more and more important. This word came into use not so long ago, and different people put different meanings into it. Is it related to an interesting, favorite job? High professionalism? With creativity? Maybe it depends on whether the person realized his dream?

Perhaps it is easier to go from the other side and describe it through our emotions. We feel fulfilled when we reveal our inner potential, when our abilities, knowledge and skills are involved in the work. “This is the feeling of being in the right place and the pleasure of what you are doing,” says Natalia Tumashkova. “Sometimes the result, sometimes the process, or both.”

Self-realization implies the ability to work, make efforts, invest in your work. “It’s like in a love relationship: in order to build them, we must invest in them,” explains psychoanalyst Maria Timofeeva. “It’s the same with work. And for this, a person needs inner fullness – then he has something to invest. In fact, this is the libido – understood in a broad sense, as the ability to love, which we can direct to different objects. Those who have this inner resource are able to work hard and hard. But they get such a return – satisfaction, pleasure, joy – that this resource does not dry out, but only replenishes.

But what about the stereotype that creative work gives us more satisfaction? “I think that self-realization is always about creativity,” says Natalya Tumashkova. “You can just create in different ways. There is such a parable. In the desert, the traveler meets a man rolling a heavy stone and asks, “What are you doing?” “You don’t see, I’m pushing a stone, I’m suffering.” He meets another like him: “What are you doing?” “I earn by the sweat of my face for my family.” The third is met by our traveler and asks him the same question. He smiles and says: “I am building the Temple.” It’s just about self-realization.”

So self-realization does not require indispensable career growth: building a career is considered a motivating factor by only 38% of Russians.

“Soon it will be 20 years since I have been working as a teacher,” says Sergey. – I was offered more than once to become the head teacher, and there – who knows – maybe I would have grown to the director. But I can’t stand administrative work. My job is to teach. It is impossible to work with children on bare professionalism, they do not let you freeze in place, they constantly make you look, try. With each new class, I discover something new in myself.

Learning new things, getting to know yourself better, expanding your capabilities, realizing your mastery and at the same time feeling that there is still room for growth – in general, this means living a full life.

We need recognition

Imagine that at work we are criticized endlessly, and we don’t hear words of approval at all. If our work, our efforts, sometimes very serious, are not appreciated, we simply give up. On the other hand, a few words of encouragement at the most intense moment of work, when strength is already running out, can magically inspire us and charge us with new energy.

Why is it important for us to be recognized? “In the most general sense, recognition satisfies our deep, familiar desire to feel our own importance to others,” says psychoanalyst Helen Vecchiali. “It confirms that we are full members of the group, part of the whole, moreover, self-respect is impossible without public recognition.”

However, self-esteem is not so simple. “Recognition will work for self-esteem when you yourself know that you deserve it,” warns Natalya Tumashkova. – If it is undeserved, then the effect may be the opposite. And finally, if you don’t value yourself, then praise, especially bossy praise, can become a drug, and we will need more and more new doses.

Maria Timofeeva believes that dependence on praise testifies to our narcissism, this disease of the century.

“We are not always able to rely on our own assessment. In theory, we should be concerned not with how wonderful, creative, skillful, smart we are (pride and vanity lie behind this), but with whether or not our work turned out. In this case, we rely on our own assessment and experience joy not from praise, but from the fruits of our labor.

But if we were not appreciated, but the beauty, usefulness, originality or exact compliance with the standards of our “work”, we can always rely on this achievement in order to move on.

We like to do things together

We spend just as much time (and sometimes more) with our colleagues as we do with family and friends. It is not surprising that we consider a good team a gift of fate. We can share joys and problems, receive the necessary support and help. “Colleagues are our reference group,” says Natalia Tumashkova. “And that’s why the feedback we get from them is so important.”

The good thing about work is that it allows us to feel like we belong to something bigger than ourselves: a profession, a team, a mission of national importance, or research that will change the future. Some of us work more efficiently if we have someone to compete with.

“In a sense, these people take energy from the opponent. There is no rival – and it is not interesting to work. After all, it is more difficult to compete with time than with a strong competitor,” explains Natalia Tumashkova.

In teamwork, there is a synergy effect (when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts). Brainstorming, when we exchange ideas and come up with something new together, the common victories or defeats that we experience together, these are all powerful collective emotions that are worth a lot.

We need a sense of permanence

And finally, it’s just important for us to go to work. At least for those of us who have difficulty with self-discipline.

“Getting up on time, putting yourself in order, making your way to the place of work, chatting with colleagues at lunch – all this greatly supports people, because it gives a feeling of constancy,” explains Maria Timofeeva. The need to go to work starts the clockwork of our lives. When you work from home, a lot of energy is spent on self-organization. And here everything is already done for you.

Perhaps someone thought that remote work would deprive us of these advantages in the near future? “No matter how the Internet develops, face-to-face communication, including with colleagues, is indispensable,” Natalya Tumashkova objects. “Otherwise, why invent Skype?”