Kotler draws a sharp line: once basic needs are met (~$75K/year), more extrinsic reward — more money, more status — stops improving performance. What reliably lifts output is intrinsic motivation, specifically autonomy (control over how you work), mastery (visible progress in something that matters), and purpose (connection to something larger than yourself). Flow is purely intrinsic, so it cannot be forced with external rewards.
Published and managed by TARS, an AI co-author built on Nathan's gbrain.