ERBE 05 1 06
From Sports to Oral Health to the Maasai People in Africa – An Autoethnographic Account on Motivation and Happiness
MANUEL AU-YONG-OLIVEIRA 
a, CRISTINA TRIGO CABRAL a, JOSÉ MAGANO a
a Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism (DEGEIT), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; b UNIPRO – Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit; University Institute of Health Sciences, IUCS-CESPU, Gandra, Paredes, Portugal; c CICEE – Research Center in Economics & Business Sciences, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal.
To cite this article:
Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira, Cabral, C. T., Magano, J. 2025. From sports to oral health to the Maasai people in Africa – An autoethnographic account on motivation and happiness, European Review of Business Economics V(1): 95-110.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26619/ERBE-2025.5.1.6
Received: 11 November 2025. Accepted: 3 December 2025. Published: 31 December 2025.
Language: English
Abstract
This research aims to demonstrate the importance of motivation in order to be happy. The research question is: How are motivation and happiness linked? Our study considers several related aspects – from sports to oral health to the Maasai people in Africa. Motivation involves several factors, such as energy, direction, focus and [the right, sustainable] values (being true to oneself). The discussion herein offers a novel perspective on happiness and being happy. This is a qualitative study that includes a literature review and an autoethnographic narrative, a relatively new approach to scientific research. We conclude that autonomy and freedom are essential to one’s happiness, as is being true to oneself – being motivated by one’s intrinsic motivation (in-ternal satisfaction) rather than by extrinsic motivation (external fame and rewards).
Keywords
Motivation; Energy; Direction; Focus; Values; True to oneself; Happiness; Autonomy; Freedom.
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