Motivation from the Inside Out

When I think about the times when I’ve felt most alive and energized at work, I was doing more of what I’m good at - less of the stuff I’d rather avoid. These are times I would characterize as high-points in my career, because I was enjoying myself. Having fun! In fact, I would also describe them as my most successful moments. Don’t get me wrong, not every aspect of my job was a treat; sometimes we just have to do things we’d rather avoid. But, I subscribe to the philosophy that everyone deserves the opportunity to do more of what they love; to feel joy and self-worth from the activities which monopolize so much of our focus, effort, and time.

In the same vein, our career has the potential to be a self-expression of who we are, a representation of what we value and stand for, and an extension of why we’re here. And, this is where most people - and employers - miss the mark. And, this is what our next four chapters are all about. Learning how to identify and tap into what gives us energy and motivates us from the inside out.

While this is the most exciting work – from my perspective – it can also be scary. At the end of these chapters our group will have a clear picture of what their good at, what’s most important in life and clear the brush around why they’re here and how this connects to our work. From this point of clearing – clarity arises.

For some, this will be a time of anticipation, curiosity and excitement as the picture comes into focus. Our members will start to understand how work can be an extension of who we are and connect to our purpose in life. I’ve seen this start to unfold already. One person in our group was feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from her work, but was awakened from her own voice. Now, she can clearly see how her job is creating a pathway to the vision of success she has for herself. A job that was once a drag on her psyche is now something she looks forward to and enjoys. We all deserve this.

For others, our next four chapters will stir moments of uncertainty. Like a well-intentioned sailboat – we’ll discover that we’ve tacked off-course and landed on the opposite shore in error. This is when we’ll honor the journey, collect the learnings, and look out at the horizon as we ask ourselves if we have the courage to follow our dreams as we lift the sails once more.