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.
My most satisfying job was as a math tutor. In my current job I’m a lead with a small team of devs and my days are mostly meetings. At the end of the day I’m so drained I don’t want to do anything at all.
Both required training and skill but the lead position requires a degree and tutoring math won’t pay the bills.