Satisfaction at Work Hinges On Knowing Your Career Motivation
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In last year’s biggest film, “Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise returned to the flight deck, 34 years after the original film hit theaters. In the sequel, the audience learns that Maverick has avoided promotions in the military for decades even though he displayed heroic bravery that merited a fancier title. Why? He really loved flying jets. And becoming an admiral would mean turning in his wings and staying grounded. His career motivation was clear: he wanted to fly. Titles, power, and prestige did not matter.
What motivates you most at work?
Maybe like Maverick you are motivated by the enjoyment of the work itself. Perhaps you are motivated by your work’s impact or by having the flexibility to make your work fit around your life. Career motivation is not simply what motivates you to perform well; it motivates you to stay in a role. What motivates you to commit to an employer, a career path, or to turn down seemingly career advancing opportunities?
Career motivations are the invisible aspects of work that can make people feel deeply satisfied on their career journey. If your career motivation is missing from your job, you may feel burned out, disconnected at work, and you may even feel enough friction that you leave your job altogether.
According to Aflac’s annual WorkForces Report, more than half (59%) of all American workers today are experiencing at least moderate levels of burnout. That is nine percentage points higher than what was self-reported in 2021 and two percentage points higher than in August 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Burnout can result from a perfect storm of mental health challenges, feeling unsupported by an employer, and experiencing misalignment with your chosen career and your career motivation.
Let’s break down the five primary career motivations. Identifying which is your strongest motivation can help you make better decisions and ultimately lead to greater job satisfaction.
Flexibility. If your primary career motivation is flexibility, you have a priority that requires your work to fit around other aspects of your life. Perhaps that means you need a flexible schedule or it may mean you require the ability to work remotely. Setting your own hours, working split shifts, or working part-time are all highly valuable to you. In fact, you would choose a flexible arrangement over higher pay or more power. Work is important to you, but you have other priorities and want a job that is malleable.
Wealth. Financial security, income, and benefits matter most to those motivated by wealth. Enjoying your day-to-day work is nice, but being well-compensated matters more. You want a job that gives you a sense of security and may even have the potential to change the financial trajectory of your family. You view a paycheck as an opportunity to both feel secure and leave a financial legacy. You can pay your mortgage, save, and you do not have to worry about finances.
Enjoyment. Your nightmare is constantly watching the clock at work because the day moves so slowly. You are most motivated by the idea of liking the work you do every day, even if it means you voluntarily opt out of a promotion, like Maverick. Whether it’s creative, data-centric, or people-focused, you are energized by your work and often get into a state of “flow.” Titles, money, and flexibility might be nice added perks, but when it comes to big decisions at work, you will not stay in a job that you simply do not enjoy.
Meaning. If your top motivation is meaning, you make career decisions based on the difference you believe your work is making in the world. You are motivated by altruism and thus you may take risks as a result, earn less, or overextend yourself, but you feel great alignment in your work and your life’s purpose. Your work is more than just a career, it is a cause you believe in deeply.
Prestige. Do you feel a burst of pride when you get to share with someone what you do or where you work? If you are most motivated by prestige, your work might not feel “worth it” if no one knew the name of your organization or the field you work in. Your work may include long hours or lower pay than you prefer, but your role is significant and your organization is special. There is a certain gravitas associated with your employer or profession that is satisfying.
When embarking on a career path, job seekers are often drawn to what would logically appear in a job description: the tasks, skills, and projects that encompass what the day-to-day looks like. But your satisfaction at work depends largely on what motivates you outside of a job description. Knowing your career motivation can give you clarity at those junctures in life when you have an opportunity to make a change, just like Maverick avoided promotions because he knew deep down he just had to fly.