What did those early jobs teach you about how you work, what motivates you, what incentive is most meaningful?
My summer jobs — and my part-time jobs during school — indelibly influenced how I work. Even right now, as I write this message to you, I feel their momentum. They defined how I work.
My Jobs
Here’s what’s NOT on my LinkedIn profile.
During summers and school, I was a bank teller, cab driver, bartender, farm hand, newspaper delivery agent, librarian, catering server, jockey at a beer drive-thru, and dishwasher at a steak house. Those were great experiences. (Even the dishwashing at a steak house.)
My most recent summer job was as a delicatessen runner at Katzinger’s.
So what did it all mean?
Someone Who Knows (Through Scientific Experiments)
Here is one of my favorite college professors, Dan Ariely, on what motivates us.
It’s another great TED talk. Perhaps you’ve already seen it? (Thanks to Casey Brown for sending this to her Vistage group this week.)
In any case, here’s Dan Ariely, answering: “What makes us feel good about our work?”
If you can’t see the video, click to here: http://new.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work
If you’d rather read about it, here’s a summary:
http://blog.ted.com/2013/04/10/what-motivates-us-at-work-7-fascinating-studies-that-give-insights/