--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rewards system of the traditional…" description: "\"“The rewards system of the traditional workplace keeps us on track, in line with deadlines from the higher-ups. If we adhere to it, the deeply embedded..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/scott-belsky-17903_status-quo_the-rewards-system-of-the-traditional-wo_3235253.jpg" --- # The rewards system of the traditional workplace keeps us… ![“The rewards system of the traditional workplace keeps us on track, in line with deadlines from the higher-ups. If we adhere to it, the deeply embedded rewards system of our adult lives is likely to keep s employed and secure within the status quo. . . However, these tendencies become destructive…” quote by scott belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/scott-belsky-17903_status-quo_the-rewards-system-of-the-traditional-wo_3235253.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/scott-belsky-17903_status-quo_the-rewards-system-of-the-traditional-wo_3235253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/scott-belsky-17903_status-quo_the-rewards-system-of-the-traditional-wo_3235253.jpg) > ““The rewards system of the traditional workplace keeps us on track, in line with deadlines from the higher-ups. If we adhere to it, the deeply embedded rewards system of our adult lives is likely to keep s employed and secure within the status quo. . . However, these tendencies become destructive as soon as we begin to pursue long-term goals or attempt something extraordinary”” [scott belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The workplace rewards system keeps us compliant, but it hinders pursuit of ambitious, long‑term goals. **In simple terms:** Rewards keep us safe but limit extraordinary achievement. Key Takeaway Challenge the status quo to chase big visions. Themes motivation career innovation risk status quo Mood determined critical inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - personal growth - creative projects Key Concepts behavioral economics intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation long‑term planning Questions to Reflect On - What would you risk to achieve a daring goal? - How can you redesign incentives for long‑term success? A Different Perspective Rewards may cause complacency and fear of failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) ## Related quotes > [I think that all men and women both, particularly women, hold back on parts of ourselves because they don't fit into the traditional workplace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-think-that-all-men-and-women-both-particularly-women-hold-back-on/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [Set daily, monthly and long term goals and dreams. Don't ever be afraid to dream too big. Nothing is impossible. If you believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/set-daily-monthly-and-long-term-goals-and-dreams-don-t-ever-be-afraid/) [Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/) > [Ask the proficient athlete, artist, businessperson, or homemaker what creates excellence and they'll all agree: a commitment to long-term goals - and with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/ask-the-proficient-athlete-artist-businessperson-or-homemaker-what/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [In short, with each of the thousand-and-one problems that present themselves in family life, our choice is between controlling and teaching, between creating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/in-short-with-each-of-the-thousand-and-one-problems-that-present/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [I don't really try to set any long-term goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donavon-frankenreiter/i-don-t-really-try-to-set-any-long-term-goals/) [Donavon Frankenreiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donavon-frankenreiter/) > [“Never indulge in small lucrative things that stand in the way of your long term goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wasif-minhas/never-indulge-in-small-lucrative-things-that-stand-in-the-way-of-your/) Wasif Minhas > [“Despite my lack of sophistication or maturity, I was headstrong. My sense of possibility and certainty made me focused. I had blinders on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/despite-my-lack-of-sophistication-or-maturity-i-was-headstrong-my/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [There are days when I don't feel motivated and I don't want to get up to go to practice. I'm a very goal-oriented person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-torres/there-are-days-when-i-don-t-feel-motivated-and-i-don-t-want-to-get-up/) [Dara Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-torres/) > [I like short-term goals. I'm never thinking about a five-year or a ten-year plan; I'm always thinking, 'What am I doing in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trina/i-like-short-term-goals-i-m-never-thinking-about-a-five-year-or-a-ten/) [Trina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trina/) > [When I first got into acting, I never had any long-term goals, never had any plan. I just thought it would be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/when-i-first-got-into-acting-i-never-had-any-long-term-goals-never/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) > [“When I talk about kindness in business, a few people scoff. They say, “Steve Jobs and the leaders at Apple created a pressure-cooker environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-haaff/when-i-talk-about-kindness-in-business-a-few-people-scoff-they-say/) [Brian de Haaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-haaff/) > [“Goal setting works best when you have long-term goals and short-term goals in different areas of your life. Of course, you’re not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-elliott/goal-setting-works-best-when-you-have-long-term-goals-and-short-term/) [Susan J. Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-elliott/) > [Make sure the short-term goals connect to the long-term goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-jay-taylor/make-sure-the-short-term-goals-connect-to-the-long-term-goals/) [T Jay Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-jay-taylor/) > [“While a fixation on results is certainly unhealthy, short-term goals can be useful developmental tools if they are balanced within a nurturing long-term philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-waitzkin/while-a-fixation-on-results-is-certainly-unhealthy-short-term-goals/) [Josh Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-waitzkin/) > [The easiest thing is to make sure you feel happy and satisfied in this moment. Setting long term goals is much more effort taking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/the-easiest-thing-is-to-make-sure-you-feel-happy-and-satisfied-in/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) ## More by scott belsky > [The vision of extraordinary achievement is,by definition, a few steps beyond consensus and conventional logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-vision-of-extraordinary-achievement-is-by-definition-a-few-steps/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [The fact that time is ticking should motivate you to take action on your ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-fact-that-time-is-ticking-should-motivate-you-to-take-action-on/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [Nothing extraordinary is achieved through ordinary means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/nothing-extraordinary-is-achieved-through-ordinary-means/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [It's only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/it-s-only-by-saying-no-that-you-can-concentrate-on-the-things-that/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [You cannot ignore or completely escape the deeply ingrained short-term reward system within you. But you can become aware of what really motivates you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/you-cannot-ignore-or-completely-escape-the-deeply-ingrained-short/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [“Constant motion is the key to execution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/constant-motion-is-the-key-to-execution/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [The magic happens when you find the sweet spot where your genuine interests, skills, and opportunity intersect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-magic-happens-when-you-find-the-sweet-spot-where-your-genuine/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [Rather than Surrender to Bureaucracy, take it upon yourself to break it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/rather-than-surrender-to-bureaucracy-take-it-upon-yourself-to-break-it/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [“You can't rely on others—especially your managers and clients—to engage your strengths. In an ideal world, managers would constantly be thinking about how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/you-can-t-rely-on-others-especially-your-managers-and-clients-to/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [Among idealists and visionaries, there is no shortage of good intent, but there's often a shortage of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/among-idealists-and-visionaries-there-is-no-shortage-of-good-intent/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [Most ideas are born and lost in isolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/most-ideas-are-born-and-lost-in-isolation/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [Self-leadership is about awareness, tolerance , and not letting your own natural tendencies limit your potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/self-leadership-is-about-awareness-tolerance-and-not-letting-your-own/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [The young and the ambitious share a common risk: appearing naive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-young-and-the-ambitious-share-a-common-risk-appearing-naive/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [An idea can only become a reality once it is broken down into organized, actionable elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/an-idea-can-only-become-a-reality-once-it-is-broken-down-into/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [Creativity is, quite simply, a genuine interest combined with initiative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/creativity-is-quite-simply-a-genuine-interest-combined-with-initiative/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) [Explore all 36 scott belsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) ## More Status quo quotes > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [Sometimes people think you’re smart if you question the status quo, if nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/sometimes-people-think-you-re-smart-if-you-question-the-status-quo-if/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [As the generalization goes about the art industry, people can be really challenging and thought-provoking in their thinking and questioning the status quo, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/as-the-generalization-goes-about-the-art-industry-people-can-be/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) > [We have Christians against Muslims against Jews, and no matter how liberal your theology, merely identifying yourself as a Christian or a Jew lends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/we-have-christians-against-muslims-against-jews-and-no-matter-how/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“In the twenty-first century, the winners will be those who stay ahead of the change curve, constantly redefining their industries, creating new markets, blazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-gibson/in-the-twenty-first-century-the-winners-will-be-those-who-stay-ahead/) [Rowan Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-gibson/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The media can be an instrument of change. It can maintain the status quo and reflect the views of the society or it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/the-media-can-be-an-instrument-of-change-it-can-maintain-the-status/) [Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/) > [I'm optimistic that none of my members in the end want to be responsible for the status quo on Obamacare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/i-m-optimistic-that-none-of-my-members-in-the-end-want-to-be/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [“The purpose of all of this (left hemisphere's way of choosing denial or repression over considering an anomaly) is to impose stability on behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-ramachandran/the-purpose-of-all-of-this-left-hemisphere-s-way-of-choosing-denial/) [V.S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-ramachandran/) > [Being an iconic food company can be both a blessing and a curse. It can be a curse if, amidst change, you maintain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/being-an-iconic-food-company-can-be-both-a-blessing-and-a-curse-it/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [Certainly none of the advances made in civilization has been due to counterrevolutionaries and advocates of the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mauldin/certainly-none-of-the-advances-made-in-civilization-has-been-due-to/) [Bill Mauldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mauldin/) > [Fear is the single biggest barrier to creativity. Unless we're brave enough to risk looking foolish, we'll inevitably find ourselves sticking to the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-linkner/fear-is-the-single-biggest-barrier-to-creativity-unless-we-re-brave/) [Josh Linkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-linkner/) > [“The Lord seeks to establish status quo before His return. He is gathering His sheep, His birds, His people under His wings, under His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrietta-newton-martin/the-lord-seeks-to-establish-status-quo-before-his-return-he-is/) [Henrietta Newton Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrietta-newton-martin/) [Browse all 977 Status quo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The rewards system of the traditional workplace keeps us on track, in line with deadlines from the higher-ups. 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