We’re all individuals with different lives, cultures and experiences, so it makes sense that we are all motivated by different things. I recently asked a cross section of 60 people how they motivate themselves. Their answers fell into these eight categories:
1. Fulfilling their own potential and opportunities for self-growth;
2. Thinking about their children and building a better life for them;
3. Avoiding the fear of failing, death or being average;
4. Moving towards inspiration or away from desperation;
5. Proving people wrong or competing with others;
6. Just taking action and being disciplined;
7. Imagining the freedom to live the lifestyle they want;
8. Ensuring they have enough money and financial security.
These are just 8 things that could motivate you – I’m sure there are hundreds of other ideas out there too. In my opinion the answer for each of us, lies within our personal understanding of the word itself: motivation – what is your motive? What are your aspirations? What are you trying to achieve in life? In work?
If you want to learn how to better at your job, then what are the attributes of your working style that you need to improve upon in order to get you there? For example: if you tend to do everything yourself and know that you need to delegate more – what are the attributes of a good delegator? This person probably knows a large network of people, knows how to ask for help, is clear about how others can engage with them on the work that has been delegated, and is satisfied with an output that is 80% there, as opposed to 100% perfect.
When you know the answers to these questions, then you’ll know what motivates you. And once you’re clear on what motivates you, you need to fill your environment with reminders of your motives – they should be everywhere you look. One tip I use is to create passwords with the first letter of each word in a sentence that describes your aspirations. It makes remembering the password fun and energising, whilst at the same time being highly secure!
What motivates you?