Part 1 Overview: Motivation describes the energizing forces influencing an effort's direction, intensity, and persistence. It is a complex interaction between the individual and the environment. Daniel H. Pink states in his 2009 TedTalk "The Puzzle of Motivation" that the incentives we believe work the best, extrinsic rewards like bonuses or other financial rewards may not motivate employees to think creatively or perform at their best. In fact, he suggests that this extrinsic approach may do more harm than good! Instead, he indicates that employers should consider a new approach, encouraging intrinsic motivation. Daniel Pink (2009) described intrinsic motivation as "... the desire to do things because they matter because we like it, they're interesting, or part of something important." He proposes the three elements of intrinsic motivation in the workplace are: Autonomy: the urge to direct our own lives Mastery: the desire to get better and better at something that matters Purpose: to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves