Why do you work?  I often ask my project management students what is at the top of their personal pyramid. What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning, to go to your place of business, to contribute, to achieve?

I believe that there are ten motivational factors for knowledge workers.  I challenge my students to arrange them in a pyramid with the most important factor for them at the top.  Which of the factors shown below is at the top of your pyramid today?  What was it 5 years ago?  What do you think it will be 5 years from now?

• Work with people who treat me with respect.
• Be able to do interesting work.
• Get recognition for good work.
• Get a chance to develop and learn new skills.
• Work with people who communicate and listen.
• Have a chance to think for oneself.
• See the end results of a task.
• Work with efficient and effective people.
• Have a job that stretches me.
• Have job security, high pay, and benefits.

When I look at Yung's statement, I consider a number of the items in the motivational factor list as a reward for a job well-done.  Note that it is 90% more likely that my rewards will come from non-monetary sources.

Of course, if your basic physical, safety and security needs are not being met, then it is possible that tangible rewards like job security, high pay and benefits are necessary before you can aspire to move some of the other items up to a higher level on your motivational pyramid.

Always remain open to the possibility that many of your rewards and much of your satisfaction will come from non-tangible sources.  Verse 48 of the Tao* has a few lines that may be relevant to this continuous search for reward and satisfaction.

"One who gives freely and without attachment
     gets a full life in return
One who gives with the secret hope of giving
     is merely engaged in business"

*Tao Te Ching, The Definitive Edition, Lao Tzu with Translation and Commentary by Jonathan Star, Jeremy P Tarcher/Penguin, 2001, page 61.