Field note
Autonomy, competence, relatedness
Deci and Ryan’s three needs, applied to a week rather than a personality.
Self-determination theory, from Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, argues that people do better when they experience autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The research is broad and the popular version is often mush. The sharp version is a checklist for a role.
Autonomy: do you have a real say in how the hour is spent? Competence: is the work hard enough that you can tell you are getting better? Relatedness: is there a person who is affected, taught, or accompanied? A hobby can have all three. A prestigious job can have none.
Interest Maps do not score these. You can. Take one suggested overlap career and ask which of the three it would actually give you on a Wednesday. If the answer is only prestige, it is Gottfredson’s zone talking, not your stations.