Obviously it can be a bit of both. I’m sure a lot of those guys on Wall Street get off on the high stakes, competitive environment along with all of the benefits to being wealthy. On the other hand, some people choose jobs that don’t pay much but give them a high degree of satisfaction. But I surmise that most people, particularly men, are mainly motivated extrinsically in their jobs to provide for their families, to maintain a certain lifestyle, or simply to survive.
I only get that satisfaction when I directly help someone, which is pretty rare in my current role. But it pays the best of any job I’ve had.
Mainly I dread work and it stresses me out. I wouldn’t be doing this job at all if I didn’t have people relying on me.