A fascinating article describes research that is both counterintuitive and has potentially important implications for the worlds of business, sports, education, and beyond.

The basic finding, not surprising, is that internal motivation (drive from your values, meaning, passions) produces the best outcomes. What is surprising was the finding that when internal motivation was combined with instrumental motivation (drive from external rewards), outcomes declined.

This goes against the conventional wisdom–and my own personal and professional experiences–that combining the two motivations should result in the best outcomes. Certainly, if you ask any professional athlete or high-level business person, they will likely say that they are motivated by both internal and instrumental factors. Interesting food for thought, to be sure.