Motivation and Calling

     
There are only two ways a person is influenced to behave toward an expected outcome. One is when structures in one's environment constrains or guides them to behave a specific way through exchanges (Social Exchange). These generally take the form of rewards/punishment that incent people to produce specific behaviors and associated outcomes desired by the envionment (bosses, parents, government, coaches, etc). Examples include rules, policies, job descriptions, culture, praise/recognition, and compensation systems. These factors are called extrinsic motivation and usually produce the behavior desired by the enviornment as long as the factors are in place. When they are removed or when the individual no longer sees the exchange worth his/her behavior (valence), the effort ceases.

In contrast individuals may direct their attentional resources toward a behavior and its associated outcome simply because the outcome is internal to the individual and produces meaning, significance, or enjoyment. Instead of the individual receiving something from their environment because of their outcome from the behavior, the "reward" is suppllied by a satisfied soul. I call this "scratching the itches of our soul". This form of motivation is called intrinsic and produces the behavior because the individual is inspired to put forth the effort to gain the outcome.

When we consider the notion of calling, we find that it consists of those things we are intrinsically motivated to do. (Notice this is different than our giftedness, which many poeple use to help discern their calling.) The types of behaviors and associated outcomes that inspire us were placed in us before the foundations of the world. "We are fearfully and wonderfully made." So in a sense "Our calling" is playing out that which God has put in us.

more to come!!