3. The Danger of Drive

Be careful of being driven. If you are driven, who is doing the driving? I heard this old adage many years ago, and ever since, being driven has held a negative connotation for me. I never liked the idea of something or someone outside of myself controlling me. However, it seems my interpretation is a minority opinion. Having a conversation about motivation in the English language without using the word drive is almost impossible. A person with a lot of drive is considered to have a lot of motivation. A person with low drive is considered not to have enough motivation. Inner drive is considered a good thing. On this last point, I could concede, but it depends on the nature of the inner drive. Where are you driving and why?

One of the most popular motivational theories of the past one hundred years is called Drive Theory. It made sense based on the idea that we are motivated to get what we don't have. If you are thirsty, you are driven to drink; if you are hungry, you are driven to eat. The pervasive use of Drive Theory paved the way to an acceptance of driving for results, driving for success, and driving performance. The problem with Drive Theory as a general theory of motivation is that after you drink or eat, your need is satiated and you are no longer driven to drink or eat until your body is deficient again. Now we are beginning to grasp the real costs of driving.