Nir EyalSpeaker on Behavioral Science, NYT Bestselling Author, Former Stanford Lecturer

When it comes to motivation, the carrot IS the stick #shorts

Name: When it comes to motivation, the carrot IS the stick #shorts
Uploaded: 2024-09-06T13:00:52+00:00
Duration: 43 s
Channel: Nir Eyal
Description: Nir Eyal argues that human motivation is fundamentally driven by the desire to escape discomfort rather than the direct pursuit of pleasure: memories of…

6 Sept 2024 · 1 min

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Nir Eyal argues that human motivation is fundamentally driven by the desire to escape discomfort rather than the direct pursuit of pleasure: memories of past pleasure create cravings that propel action. He claims the brain motivates us to repeat behaviors that once felt good by generating urges tied to recollected reward, so “the carrot is the stick.”

Chapters

Why do we do things right? What motivates people? They will tell you. Some version of carrots and sticks. It's about the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. But we now know that, neurologically speaking, that is not true. Rather, it's about one thing. The carrot is the stick. Everything you do, every decision you make, every action you take, is driven by the desire to escape discomfort. Even the pursuit of pleasurable sensations. Wanting to feel good, Craving, lusting, desire, hunger. There's a reason, you know. There's a very famous song called Love Hurts. That's exactly right. Because the brain doesn't get us to do what feels good. The brain gets us to do what felt good. The memory of that pleasure is what creates a urge to go get that thing.