Motivation can come
from the outside, but the truth is: one day it fades. When that happens, both
our performance and our life can take a hit.
But motivation can
also come from inside. From within the self - and that kind isn’t at the mercy
of external factors.
Take this example:
you’ve got a big project ahead. It demands long hours and a lot of effort. At
first, your external motivation is high: the challenge excites you (it’s
something new), you’re working with a solid team, and the pay is
great (four months’ salary in one go!).
Then reality sets in:
the challenge stops being new as even the most exciting project eventually
slips into routine; that team you praised? turns out those people
are a pain, arrogant and difficult, and to top it off, you discover your
sister-in-law is making 30% more at the same company for a similar work. Just
like that, your external motivation evaporates.
Now let’s flip the
lens. Same project, but with a different type of motivation, an internal
motivation. You see it as an opportunity to train and to grow your skills,
strengthen patience and determination and reinforce self-esteem.
By the end, you have become better, regardless of the pay, the novelty or the
people. These inner drivers don’t just vanish - though they do need to be
cultivated.
In times like these,
any kind of motivation helps. But it’s good to remember: we don’t always need
to look outside to stay motivated.
This is the first post
in a series about motivation - starting from within.
