We Need a Cause
The shepherd has always worked harder than the hireling … unless the hireling somehow felt a sense of ownership. But a paycheck doesn’t create a sense of ownership.
Getting inspired by a cause is more powerful at changing behavior than being paid a lot of money.
Two modern comparisons:
- Working a coding job vs. volunteering time to work on open source projects
- Working a construction job vs. working on a Habitat for Humanity crew
Why do people freely contribute their time to what they’re passionate about but then feel apathy at work, where they’re being paid to be engaged? *
Because a cause is powerful — much more powerful than money. Internal inspiration is better than carrots and sticks.
What’s your cause? If you don’t know yet, how do you find it?
(* According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace, through the end of 2020, only 15 percent of employees are engaged in the workplace. This means that the majority of workforce around the world are either viewing their workplace negatively or only doing the bare minimum to make it through the day, with little to no emotional attachment.)
[Article 0011 of Samuel Said]
