Tips for Finding YOUR Motivation
Are there days at work where YOU think to yourself... "sure I've nearly lost the will to live" (figuratively not literally) when someone in leadership comes with a BIG IDEA or an initiative that requires YOUR participation or input.
These moments can be "emotional vampires" and suck the motivation out of YOU or can be a pivot point to finding YOUR joy... your purpose...your WHY!
Three Scenarios That Can Make or Break YOU
I'm sure there are lots of ways YOU have run into road blocks to motivation... for now I will stick with three big ones that come to top of mind.
Go Along to Get Along. There are things that come up that YOU might describe as a waste of time. We do it even though it never really seems to achieves the results it is supposed to. It may also coincide with a particularly stressful or busy time frame where YOU exclaim... "really?? now?? YOU want me to drop what I am doing to do this instead??" In this case it is almost always in YOUR... and everyone else's best interest... to simply get it done. YOUR ability to switch gears to "go along to get along" is a skill and when done well...can not only motivate YOU but also those around YOU.
Same Idea...Different Day. YOU have been around the block a few times and "those that came before us tried and failed". It wasn't that it wasn't a good idea... it's just not succeeded here. Finding YOUR motivation and joy to rally the team ONE MORE TIME can be a challenge. The key in this scenario is to do a "post mortem" on previous tries to test the timing on this run up the hill as well as the commitment to "making NEW mistakes". Listen hard to each other... find small wins... course correct... whittle down the sides of that square peg to fit into the round hole!
New Idea...New Day. Change is HARD and we are creatures of habit. We have a good thing going and it seems like we JUST got things stabilized. Along comes a NEW idea...a NEW initiative that we just don't have the time or energy for. Work WITH the team to help them see the future...why this is needed and why now. Make THEM a part of the journey and appeal to their personality profile and communication styles. Rushing through this phase can lead to demotivation later. Who knows...the team may find a way forward...some joy for the change that will make it even better than what you originally dreamed it would be!
The Pandemic Wore Us Down
As if those scenarios were not enough... we are all still finding our way in a post pandemic world. We all made a quick pivot to work from home...home school our kids... stopped travel (personal and work).. etc... NOW... companies want everyone back in the office... kids are back in school.. businesses "absorbed" all the opex they once spent... cost optimization and profitability is the focus.
For the most part... we found a way to motivate ourselves to buckle down and navigate the pandemic over the past three to four years. Now that is over... we have to pivot again to motivate not only ourselves...but our families and our teams.
The important thing at any point in our lives and careers is to recognize how we are feeling...the impact...and not gloss over it. It doesn't mean we can wallow in it...it means we need to embrace it...pick our spots and start to pull ourselves forward in our new reality.
Tips for Finding YOUR Motivation
As with everything... I don't have it all figured out. I also recognize that the pressure in the system isn't going away any time soon. What I can say with confidence is that the answers are within YOU to find YOUR motivation...YOUR joy!
Here are a few tips to get YOU started...
Take Inventory. Find a way to pause and think about what brings YOU joy. What moments in your present or past that motivated you to do things or think differently. Once you know what "good looks like" find ways big and small to incorporate it into your current life plan. Share it with others to spark ideas that motivate THEM too.
To Thine Own Self Be True. Revisit the last personality profile exercise YOU did. If you haven't done one in a while make time to do it again. There are a lot of clues in there as to what motivates you and how you can find your joy. Use it as a tool to reconnect to who YOU are and who YOU want to be. It is also a great conversation starter with others to build relationships and find more joy because they understand YOU better
Make Time for YOU. One of the reasons we can find ourselves lacking motivation is because we are tired or not in control of our destiny. We have taken on too much or feel like we don't have time to breathe. It may be that we are running so fast we don't feel we are headed in the right direction. We always have a choice... even if we claim we don't. Slowing down to speed up seems counter intuitive but is critical to finding your mojo and joy.
Shine YOUR Light...Share YOUR Light. Incorporate light moments into your routine and share them with others. It gives yourself and others permission to take micro breaks that inject joy. Some examples for my team and family are; playing games (wordle, quordle, rummy cubes, contexto), song of the day (share a song with someone that makes you smile or motivates you), post a picture (cute pet pics, vacation, life event, sunset), share a meme...a social media post or a tiktok that makes you laugh.
Share YOUR Story...Embrace Moments that Matter. Over the years...it never ceases to amaze me how hearing other peoples stories humble me...motivate me... and causes me to think differently. We get so wrapped up in our OWN STORY that we miss opportunities to learn and grow from what others are going through. Plan and embrace these moments that matter.
In Closing...
As I reflected on this topic...thanks to a WWW (Women Who Wine) writing prompt... motivation is personal. It is incumbent on all of us to be clear what motivates and de-motivates us. It is not one size fits all and we have to be aware of our impact on others.
The key is to dig deep to find ways to renew your motivation each day. It is also ok to ask for help. Enlisting others can be just what the doctor ordered. It is also about recognizing what you can control....what you can influence... what you have to accept and what you are willing to walk away from. Ideally this combination of reflection puts you back in the drivers seat and a path to finding YOUR joy!
Leadership Questions of The Week for YOU:
When was the last time YOU felt truly motivated...excited and joyful? Can you describe what contributed to that?
What do YOU think of the three work scenarios that can make or break you? Can you think of anything you would add or change?
Do YOU think the pandemic wore YOU down and impacted your current motivation or joy at work or at home? How are YOU adjusting in the post pandemic world?
What do YOU think of the tips for finding YOUR motivation? What would YOU add or change? Which one is YOUR favorite?
Thanks for reading….and remember…YOU make a difference!
Please continue the conversation by liking…commenting or sharing this article. You can also follow me on twitter @marciedwhite or on LinkedIn.
