The following references are from:
by Daniel H. Pink ».
A book about what motivates us.
Chapter 3: Type I and Type X, Pages 71-72:
“… Together Deci and Ryan have fashioned what they call “self-determination theory.”
Many theories of behavior pivot around a particular human tendency: We’re keen responders to positive and negative reinforcements, or zippy calculators of our self-interest, or lumpy duffel bags of psychosexual conflicts. SDT, by contrast, begins with a notion of universal human needs. It argues that we have three innate psychological needs — competence, autonomy, and relatedeness. When those needs are satisfied, we’re motivated, productive, and happy. When they’re thwarted, our motivation, productivity, and happiness plummet. …”
Chapter 3: Type I and Type X, Pages 71-72
I’ve often considered motivation, productivity and happiness, when it comes to salsa. Recently, a novice salsera asked me why I started salsa. The only honest answer I could give was, “For the women.” What I didn’t say was that salsa skill is the currency by which a salsa gigolo acquires women. More salsa skill equals more women. However, more salsa skill, or more women for that matter, doesn’t equal more happiness.
Chapter 4: Autonomy, Pages 93-94:
“… “If you don’t pay enough, you can lose people. But beyond that, money is not a motivator. What matters are these other features.” And what a few future-facing businesses are discovering is that one of these essential features is autonomy — in particular, autonomy over four aspects of work: what people do, when they do it, how they do it, and whom they do it with. …
… Type I behavior emerges when people have autonomy over the four T’s: their task, their time, their technique, and their team. …”
Chapter 4: Autonomy, Pages 93-94
A salsa gigolo may realize his level of autonomy in salsa, when he asks himself what he chooses to do or not do in salsa. Where he chooses to dance, where he doesn’t. What songs he chooses to dance, what songs he doesn’t. Who he chooses to ask, who he doesn’t. What moves he chooses to lead, what moves he doesn’t. Which salseras he chooses to kiss, which salseras he doesn’t.
The more autonomy or control a salsa gigolo feels he has over his salsa choices, the more likely he will be motivated and happy.
Chapter 5: Mastery, Page 120-121:
“… Dweck’s signature insight is that what people believe shapes what people achieve. Our beliefs about ourselves and the nature of our abilities — what she calls our “self-theories” — determine how we interpret our experiences and can set the boundaries on what we accomplish. …
… According to Dweck, people can hold two different views of their own intelligence. Those who have an “entity theory” believe that intelligence is just that — an entity. It exists within us, in a finite supply that we cannot increase. Those who subscribe to an “incremental theory” take a different view. They believe that while intelligence may vary slightly from person to person, it is ultimately something that, with effort, we can increase. …”
Chapter 5: Mastery, Page 120-121
When a salsa gigolo looks out onto the dancefloor, he can see one of three things: a crowded dancefloor, where everyone is moving and seemingly knows what they are doing; really good dancers who are “amazing”; and other salsa gigolos, who are better or worse than him. More often than not, a salsa gigolo’s attention will gravitate toward the first two.
For a salsa gigolo, of any level, there is always the spectre of self-criticism and self-doubt. Am I any good? Is my salsa any good? Is it worth going on, if I’ll never become good? And ‘good’, is measured on a scale of 0 to “amazing”. You can almost see it in a salsa gigolo’s eyes, whether they’ll be back again. The salsa gigolos who come back, are the ones who realize that going from 0 to 1 is good, and going from 1 to 2 is good, and if the salsa gigolo beside him has gone from 0 to 3 in the same time he’s gone from 0 to 1, that’s good for him, but going from 0 to 1 is still good.
What also helps is if a salsa gigolo realizes that it’s not all about going from 0 to 1, or 1 to 2, or 0 to 3.
Chapter 6: Purpose, Pages 143-144:
“… Or as Deci put it, “The typical notion is this: You value something. You attain it. Then you’re better off as a function of it. But what we find is that there are certain things that if you value and if you attain them, you’re worse off as a result of it, not better off.”
Failing to understand this conundrum — that satisfaction depends not merely on having goals, but on having the right goals — can lead sensible people down self-destructive paths. If people chase profit goals, reach those goals, and still don’t feel any better about their lives, one response is to increase the size and scope of the goals — to seek more money or greater outside validation. And that can “drive them down a road of further unhappiness thinking it’s the road to happiness,” Ryan said. …”
Chapter 6: Purpose, Pages 143-144
It’s all about the salseras, right?
More autonomy + more mastery = more salseras = more happiness?
More autonomy + more mastery + more salseras = more happiness?
What I’m learning, is that there might not be a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow of salseras. More trophic level 2.0 salseras » does not equal more happiness. Considering this conundrum, I decided to try celibacy … More celibacy does not equal more happiness.
Maybe it’s all about the salsa: Connection, Love, Openness, Sincerity, Energy. CLOSE-embrace salsa ».
More autonomy + more mastery + more CLOSE-embrace salsa = more happiness?
More autonomy + more mastery + more (Connection, Love, Openness, Sincerity, Energy) = more happiness?
Katherine Heigl – Mmmm, trophic level 2.0 » salsera.
Gerard Butler – Gigolo and salsa gigolo!
