Keoni Brown

W1773917

Professor Falloon

Engwr 108

February 14, 2023

More than just a page

Literature has always been something that fascinated me in a way in which nothing else

could. Ever since my youth, reading and writing entranced me whenever I glanced at a page. It

caused my brain to run rampant on the limitless possibilities that were only capped by my

imagination. I was motivated to further improve the language, diction, and technique in my

writing, whether it was in a school paper or a poem I had written for myself. It became

something I constantly found myself lost in; every sentence and every word became something I

wanted to be proud of, a skill I wanted to hone. Like most people, writing is only something I do

when needed. When the thoughts my brain formed could not transcribe themselves into words

my mouth could utter, poetry represented harbored feelings and emotions, interpreted in one of

the only ways I knew how. It's the backbone of communication, of how we understand ourselves.

Writing was my way of speaking the unspoken; It never became something I shared with those

around me, and even less so, published to the world. However, if my thoughts can even help one

person understand their own, maybe my writing can mean something to someone other than

myself. In Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, author Daniel Pink describes

three concepts of autonomy, mastery, and purpose; concepts that can aid me in fulfilling my

passion that affects me every time my hands pick up a pencil or my fingers touch a keyboard.
 Writing and its complex process coincides with the idea of autonomy. The ability to

capture a moment that evokes emotion or develop questions that provoke the reader are skills

that are honed through constant practice. Established authors, writers, and poets alike all develop

techniques through the process of autonomy, a process that can only be gained through

experience. It serves as the skill that is behind the art. In Drive, Pink interviews Jeff Gunther,

CEO of computer software company Meddius, as Gunther elaborates on the ROWE— a results

only work environment. Gunther describes the significance of what autonomy creates,

emphasizing “craftsmanship” rather than “extremely controlling environments” that most

workplaces are accustomed to (Pink 44). Autonomy in terms of writing encapsulates the quality

of what I do write, rather than simply writing something. To focus on the technique and expertise

that writing eventually becomes, something of which I’m proud of, is the true reason to employ

autonomy in writing. Autonomy is also significant to the process of writing as it builds repetition

to strengthen the creative process behind its evolution. Pink elaborates on the topic of how to

perceive traditional work and its inherent rewards. He explains the rationale behind all work,

how a task that is not “inherently interesting” can prove its significance when part of a “larger

purpose”. Pink goes as far as saying to “acknowledge that the task is boring” embracing the

monotonous process to convey the necessity behind work (Pink 35). Type I motivation is a

perception of the concept that allows researchers to discuss the extrinsic and intrinsic values and

one’s preference of incentives. Type I explains my relationship with writing; I do it simply to

enjoy it. The values that you choose to prioritize directly relate to how I enjoy writing. Although

most of my writing is done to complete an assignment or complete an essay, appreciating the

process of writing and its autonomy provides a feeling of satisfaction that I can find value in.
 The significance of mastery in writing is something that can only be judged, subjective

to readers and writers alike. In my situation, mastery is just another part of becoming the writer I

aspire to be. Honing my skills and working on my technique are steps that lead to the summit

that is mastery. Pink explains how goals we place on ourselves provide good examples for

improvement, while goals required of us by others are destructive. He includes examples that

most people experience throughout their lifetimes, either in the workplace or in schooling. “Sales

targets, quarterly returns, [and] standardized test scores” all being imposed goals that we

encounter in work careers or in our educational systems (Pink 29). Having these goals forced

upon us narrows our vision on what matters and what doesn’t. Mastery in my writing is placing

expectations of what I want to make on myself, holding myself to a standard that I compare

myself to. However, even Daniel Pink expresses the reality of mastery that needs to be

understood. Mastery should value the truth in what we practice, and how I practice writing. Pink

explains the unrealistic expectation that is mastery, how it is “unattainable” and even how

introducing “if-then rewards” can “backfire” on us, fully delving this topic when referencing the

“Mastery Asymptote”. The idea of mastery, and its unreachable perfection is harmful to our

perception of progress and motivation; being true to what we are capable of is how we use

mastery to its fullest potential (Pink 32).

Lastly, the most important motivator behind a goal is its purpose; how a purpose can

drive one to accomplish anything they put their mind to. A sense of purpose can improve our

overall well-being, as it gives us a sense of identity, belonging, and self-worth. Pink interviews

psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi about how purpose drives everyday life and gives us a

new perspective of our existence. Csikszentmihalyi claims how “Purpose provides activation

energy for living,” and the belief of “doing something beyond themselves” (Pink 69). My
purpose when writing is about doing something I enjoy. Writing is something that I want to do

because of my passion for the art. To encapsulate everything that I feel, think and experience into

words, to hopefully inspire someone in the ways I have been reading acclaimed novels from

Earnest Hemmingway or relatable poems from Franz Kafka. To write something that exists

beyond my own purpose, but one that many can relate to. Pink further elaborates on the

importance of purpose when regarding generational differences. He claims how adults should

value the perspectives of the “eloquent example” that engulfs children and their young minds.

Pink explains how being “able to contemplate the big picture” is simply “in our nature to seek

purpose”. The purpose of pursuing my passion in writing is for my own benefit. To heal in a way

that I know how. To come to terms with who I am. To find peace and serenity with my place in

the world. Without purpose, whether it is for yourself or others, goals have no intrinsic value.

Altogether, writing is a passion of mine that I have always wanted to pursue. I may never

follow being a writer as my career, or a poet as my hobby, I do still care on working towards

becoming the writer I know I can be. Utilizing the concepts in Drive, I know the steps I need to

take to accomplish that goal. To work on my craftsmanship through autonomy, to hone my skills

to mastery, to give purpose to my writing that I have always believed in.