In Week 4 of our class on Courage in Theory and Practice, we examine psychological perspectives on how courage can be enhanced by finding intrinsic motivation and a sense of purpose.

1. Jackson Institute for Global Affairs
Courage in
Theory & Practice
Roz Savage

2. Motivation & Purpose

4. –Dolly Parton
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

5. Benefits of Motivation &
Purpose
❖ Wellbeing
❖ Internal locus of control
❖ Enhanced critical thinking
❖ Life satisfaction
❖ Engagement in work and/or community
❖ Integrity
❖ Mastery
❖ Less depression and other negative effects
❖ Resilience to trauma

6. Questions
❖ Can I do this task? (self-efficacy)
❖ Do I want to do this task? (emotional)
❖ Why would I want to do this task? (cognitive - values,
purpose)
❖ Is this choice likely to arise again? (identity)
❖ What is the meaning of undertaking this task?
(worldview, significance, self-transcendence)

7. Conflicting Choices
PATIENCERELIEF vs
FUTURE SELFPRESENT SELF vs
PRO-SOCIALSELFISH vs
COLD SELF-CONTROLHOT IMPULSE vs
TASK-ORIENTEDEGO-ORIENTED vs

8. Viktor Frankl
“Ever more people
today have the means
to live, but no meaning
to live for.”

9. Self-Determination Theory
RELATEDNESS
COMPETENCE
INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
AUTONOMY

10. >
IDENTITY CONFORMITY
VALUES COMPROMISE
PURPOSE RISK AVOIDANCE
MOTIVATION FEAR
COURAGE
SELF-DETERMINATION
ACTION
CHOICE

11. Why We Work (Barry
Schwartz)
❖ (Clue: it’s not for the money)
❖ Flow state (at least part of the time)
❖ Stretch outside the comfort zone
❖ Autonomy and discretion
❖ Mastery and expertise
❖ Social engagement
❖ Meaning and significance

12. Calling = The Thing You Can’t
Not Do
(Amy Wrzesnieswki, Yale SOM)

13. –Leah Zaccaria
“Be yourself.
Quit being the person people think you’re supposed to be.
Find a way to dig deep into your courageous self to be who
you are.
Whatever that means as far as exploring your emotions, your
identity, your profession, find one version of you that you are
always and everywhere.”

14. Life Purpose - Be Yourself

17. Discussion: Life Purpose
❖ I want to help X (people, cause, or thing)
❖ To do Y (have better lives in some way)
❖ By doing/providing/being Z (what is the action?)
❖ What job title would you put on your business card?
–Tony Robbins
“I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece.”

18. JFK GLBL252 Courage
Award
❖ Courageous individuals “who
do what is right, rather than
what is expedient”
❖ Week 4: Sally Yates, Acting
Attorney General, who wasn’t
“convinced that the defense of
the executive order is
consistent with these
responsibilities, nor am I
convinced that the executive
order is lawful.”
❖ And got fired.