How do first principles explain human motivation in psychology?

Hello, this is an interesting question. I'll try to explain my understanding in plain language.

Let's forget about complex psychological terms for a moment and imagine "first principles" as a tool that helps you strip something down to its most core, fundamental framework. Using this tool to look at "why people do things" (i.e., motivation), we can identify a few underlying "factory settings."

1. Survival and Reproduction: This is the hardcore underlying code.

Imagine that we are essentially biological beings, programs written in our genes. The two core instructions of this program are: "survive" and "pass on genes."

• Survive: When hungry, we eat; when thirsty, we drink; when cold, we dress; when in danger, we feel fear and run. These are the most basic motivations; you don't need to think about them, your body pushes you to do them. Working hard to earn money is largely to ensure you can live better and more safely.
• Reproduce: Interest in the opposite sex, courtship, the desire to form a family – these deep-seated drives are, frankly, just genes finding ways to replicate themselves.

So, many behaviors that seem complex, when traced back, often hit this bottom line of "survival and reproduction."

2. Seeking Pleasure and Avoiding Pain: This is our behavior's "navigation system."

Our brains have a very simple yet incredibly powerful navigation system: move towards what feels "good" and away from what feels "bad."

• Seeking Pleasure (Pursuing Happiness): Why can't you stop scrolling short videos? Because each swipe might bring a novel and interesting piece of content that gives you a small burst of pleasure (professionally known as dopamine release). Why do you like sweets? Because they quickly bring satisfaction. This feeling of "good" is your brain rewarding you, telling you, "This is good, keep doing it."
• Avoiding Pain (Escaping Suffering): Why do we procrastinate? Because the task is too difficult or boring, and the thought of it feels "bad," so the brain tries every way to make you avoid it. Why are people afraid of public speaking? Because of the fear of being judged or ridiculed; this "pain" caused by social anxiety is marked as "dangerous" by the brain, making you want to escape.

This navigation system is very primitive; it only cares about immediate feelings. That's why we often sacrifice long-term "big goals" for immediate "small pleasures."

3. Energy Conservation: We are all "energy savers."

Our brains and bodies follow a "law of least resistance," meaning we avoid thinking when possible and rely on inertia. This is because thinking and decision-making consume a lot of energy.

• The Power of Habit: Your daily routine of waking up, brushing teeth, washing face, and leaving the house is largely "automated," requiring no thought. This is your brain saving energy by packaging these behaviors into habits.
• Choosing the Simple: When faced with two choices, we naturally lean towards the one that seems easier and less effortful. For example, compared to sweating it out at the gym, lying on the couch and playing on your phone clearly has lower "energy consumption."

So, often our "laziness" isn't a moral issue but a physiological energy-saving strategy. Good product design leverages this principle to make things feel effortless for the user.

In summary:

Viewing human motivation through first principles is like tracing the origin of our behaviors.

• When you don't want to do something, ask yourself: Is it because this thing makes me feel "pain"? (Seeking Pleasure and Avoiding Pain) Or is it too complex and energy-consuming? (Energy Conservation)
• When you really want to do something, also ask yourself: What kind of "good" feeling does it give me? (Seeking Pleasure and Avoiding Pain) Or is it linked to my most fundamental needs for security and survival? (Survival and Reproduction)

By breaking down these complex behavioral motivations into these basic drives, you'll find that many "puzzling behaviors" of yourself and others suddenly become understandable. It's like finding the "source code" of your behavioral patterns; while you might not be able to rewrite it immediately, at least you'll know how it runs.