Interview
Happiness & motivation in the age of achievement
Jeroen van Baar (Apeldoorn, 1990) is a neuroscientist and author. He studies the surprising ways in which our brain shapes our social world: from achievement anxiety and morality to political polarization. In his book “De Prestatiegeneratie: Een pleidooi voor middelmatigheid” he analyses the performance anxiety, stress, and existential doubt, common to his generation.
During the Surf your Stress week, on Tuesday 16 November 2021, Jeroen van Baar speaks about “Happiness & Motivation in the Age of Achievement”.
After his presentation he is looking forward to discuss the way WUR students look at study and career.
Do we apply for a job because you get status or money in return? Or because it is important for you? Are you internally of externally motivated? That, in my opinion, is one of the key points students need to come up with an answer to.”
What would you like to ask students to reflect on before coming to your presentation?
“Students experience a lot of pressure because we live in a world where high performance is expected of us. I would like to ask them what they value in their fellow students. Who do you look up to and why? Who would you like to join your group-work team? Is it the person who always gets top grades, or the one who is a nice reliable partner to work with?”
Is stress a problem of modern day society?
“Well, to a large extent the pressure to achieve does arise from our environment. Nowadays primary school kids are taking training to do well in their CITO assessment. Secondary schools strive for an excellent designation, and more and more Universities select students ‘at the gate’. No wonder, as a young person, you ask yourself: ‘am I good enough?’ That way, learning becomes an achievement instead of a way to acquire knowledge because you are interested in a subject. Your motivation shifts from intrinsic to extrinsic.”
Adjust expectations
“Unfortunately, we cannot just change society. What we can do, is adjust the expectations of the group by, for example, speaking up about what you value about others instead of leaving that to the imagination. Also, it is important to find out during your studies where your motivation lies. The solution is not to simply be mediocre. Everyone enjoys mastering a topic or a skill, but it is important that this motivation comes from within. Not only does that lead to more satisfaction and better performance, it also makes you more resistant to setbacks.”
Set individual goals based on freedom
“Social media daily provides us with reference to other people’s lives and achievements. That can be intimidating, especially when you make the goals that arise from (perceived) expectations of others your own. Cutting back on your social media use is one solution, but even better is to be true to yourself when setting your goals in work and life.
Look for subjects that you find interesting, that get you in a flow state. For me that is ‘programming’. I just love it! It gets me into a focus mode that feels great. Time flies, work gets done, and I know I’m good at it, even though others may be better. Try to set your goals based on a degree of freedom and individuality instead of comparison to others.”
Great achievement ≠ Happiness
Students these days work very hard. Aside from their study program, they are on boards and committees, pursue internships at high profile organisations and even find time to party and have jobs on the side. Where does this drive originate from?
“There seems to be an assumption among students that the best achievement equals the greatest happiness. In other words, “If you don’t make it to the top, you’re ruining your life.” It would help if we lived in an academic culture where it is also OK to do a little less. We stand to lose creativity because everyone is so busy performing all the time. College days once were a time to lounge around (‘lanterfanten’ in Dutch), have philosophic conversations and get to know a lot of people. That gives room for innovative ideas and creativity to come into bloom.