--- title: What Motivates You? Me? Us? description: Daniel Pink studies what motivates us and breaks it down to autonomy, mastery and purpose while The Sales Whisperer adds his own idea to the mix. image: https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/daniel_pink_drive.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-motivates-us#main-content) [![Wes Schaeffer is The Sales Whisperer®](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wes-header-lockup.png?width=1560&height=360&name=wes-header-lockup.png)](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/) - Work With Me Show submenu for Work With Me - [Fix Your Follow-Up](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/follow-up) - [Best Day Ever](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/best-day-ever) - [HANK The AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hank) - [12 Weeks To Peak™](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/12-weeks-to-peak) - [48-Hour Fix](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/48-hour-fix) - [Start](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/start) - [Blog](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog) - [The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily) - [Speaking](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/sales-keynote-speaker) - [Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast) Show submenu for Podcast - [Podcast Guests](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast-guests) - [About](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/about) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Work With Me Show submenu for Work With Me - [Fix Your Follow-Up](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/follow-up) - [Best Day Ever](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/best-day-ever) - [HANK The AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hank) - [12 Weeks To Peak™](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/12-weeks-to-peak) - [48-Hour Fix](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/48-hour-fix) - [Start](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/start) - [Blog](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog) - [The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily) - [Speaking](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/sales-keynote-speaker) - [Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast) Show submenu for Podcast - [Podcast Guests](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast-guests) - [About](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/about) - [Get The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily) [Get The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily) Jun 13, 2025 # What Motivates You? Me? Us? ![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-motivates-us) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-motivates-us) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-motivates-us) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-motivates-us) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/what-motivates-us) The answer may surprise you. I agree with Daniel Pink who says in this video that we desire: 1. Autonomy. 2. Mastery. 3. Purpose. *But Pink does not tell us WHY higher incentives actually lead to **worse** performance.* **My speculation:** Those seeking to acquire the higher incentives for cognitive [![daniel\_pink\_drive.jpg](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/daniel_pink_drive.jpg?width=278&name=daniel_pink_drive.jpg "daniel_pink_drive.jpg")](http://amzn.to/1Rjaea8)performance suffered from "paralysis by analysis," which means, they "*over-thunk-it*." When the stakes are high, fear causes us to second-guess our instincts, our "gut," our "little voices," our highest and best impulses. We hear about athletes "being in the zone" when they have a great game. They are in the zone because: 1. They have prepared. 2. They are surrounded by great teammates. 3. They've had great coaching. 4. They want to win more than they are afraid to fail.   You can apply these exact benefits to your own sales and business success. **SOLUTION**: Quit being scared by acting confidently. It sounds easy and it is. Feelings do not lead to action. Actions lead to feelings. ***"Wes, are you repeating the old adage 'Fake it 'til you make it'?"*** Yes. Adages and cliches and rules-of-thumb come into existence **BECAUSE THEY ARE TRUE!** Market like you mean it. Now go sell something. **P.S.** I know "over-thunk" is not a word. I'll teach you why I used it in one of the Market Like a Man lessons. **P.P..S.** Taking action is addressed in [Spiraling Upward](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-upward-spiral/). [![Twelve weeks. Live deals. We start in 48 hours. Book The Fit Call](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/443614/interactive-184500196010.png)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLK0IYWu20MqbrlLRV3iu0kl%2BQTY0U5VuuJJPzjLBOv4ySdp24hujsU1TqhQBEOkQHQj9xppHJYwBqBycIHHAS8%2BbaXtNZQTWQQA38ZZOSx1RrONlMhYZyNFeEOZzXSSA5dgY0eQ7YX%2BfAbqgRIRSbT1Yfm5jMr9YVicRqrNSXoOAE4xMG2zKyKkb82xXGl%2BoVkaLxm0p96Ldq8Dc5aXzGjf&webInteractiveContentId=184500196010&portalId=443614) [custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai) ## Related posts [![Social Media Myth #1 — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisperer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-15406293.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-15406293.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/social-media-myth-1) [custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai) ## [Social Media Myth #1](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/social-media-myth-1) ![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) Jun 13, 2025 Social Media Myths What's good for big business is not always good for small business. [Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/social-media-myth-1) [![The Minimum Wage Is Supported By People With Minimum Brains — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisper](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-3107156-1.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-3107156-1.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-minimum-wage-is-supported-by-people-with-minimum-brains) [custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai) ## [The Minimum Wage Is Supported By People With Minimum Brains](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-minimum-wage-is-supported-by-people-with-minimum-brains) ![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) Jun 13, 2025 What is the purpose of the minimum wage law? Is the minimum wage supposed to be a "living wage"? [Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-minimum-wage-is-supported-by-people-with-minimum-brains) [![](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Documents/Process_Before_Login_v4.pdf)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/sales-agenda-make-every-sale) [custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai) ## [The Ideal Sales Process Includes a Sales Agenda to Make Every Sale](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/sales-agenda-make-every-sale) ![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) Jun 13, 2025 Why do so many sales trainers still teach [Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/sales-agenda-make-every-sale) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Wes Schaeffer", "url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer" }, "dateModified" : "2026-07-03T22:23:34.864Z", "datePublished" : "2025-06-13T14:35:44.000Z", "headline" : "What Motivates You? 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