> many of us are seeking love and acceptance I would go further than that, because I don't think this gets to the heart of the matter. The main driver of overw

> many of us are seeking love and acceptance I would go further than that, because I don't think this gets to the heart of the matter. The main driver of overwork is the promise of higher status that certain cultures bestow on those who pursue it [1]. The respect of bosses and the admiration of coworkers are just the consequences. As are the material benefits, like the increased salary and all the things it might buy. Yet advising overworkers to stop looking to others for positive feedback is not going to work for everyone. A large proportion of people identify as extroverts, people who need validation from others in order to feel good about themselves. And it's unrealistic to expect extroverts to be happy with valuing their self-worth the way introverts do. [1] Alain de Botton has a great book on this topic entitled Status Anxiety: http://alaindebotton.com/status/ http://alaindebotton.com/status/