Are people motivated by personal satisfaction rather than money or fame?

Personal satisfaction may come from a variety of sources and, although usually regarded as narcissistic and materialistic, material goods and prominence is associated with personal satisfaction to many people. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs show that peoples wants and needs differ from their state of living and thus this would also alter personal satisfaction.

Most people choose to pursue professions with higher earnings and higher chances of succeeding. The intense rivalry, the immense adherence and the singleminded goal of students who strive to fill a niche in business or law is an example of how many people equate monetary surplus with personal satisfaction.

Alexander the Great was driven by fame and power. He sought out to reach the "end of the world and the Great Outer Sea" and began a series of military campaigns and created for himself one of the largest empires at that time spanning from Greece to modern day Pakistan. His legacy is unquestionably crucial for the development of the modern world, most notably hellenization, the spreading of the Greek culture. Prestige, for Alexander the Great, was intimately tied with his personal satisfaction.

That being said, money is often the basis for many felonies and can be argued to be detrimental to one's morality. The Americas were plundered for the prospect of gold and countless wars were fought over prosperous land and treasure troves. There are uncountable cases of people falling victim to scams and and cheats and although the ones at the receiving end of these acts suffer, the instigator, who believe happiness derives from fame and fortune, would attain personal satisfaction.

Many people assume that the greatest level of personal satisfaction derive from selfless acts of bravery and kindness such as Mother Theresa and Abraham Lincoln and acquiring glory and wealth for personal satisfaction is often regarded as vain and prideful. However, regardless of which stance one takes, personal satisfaction and the feeling of fulfillment is influenced by many factors and for many, happiness is attainable through amassing wealth and prominence.