On motivation

“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.”

- Andrew Carnegie (taken from http://goo.gl/nKe3K)

Can I just say, I'm glad to be finally blogging again! I know, I know - I said I shall be blogging every Thursday as part of my routine. This week, though, was a bit different - we were on holiday! The beauty of working for a US-based company is that we also follow their holiday schedules. And of course, since this week included the fourth Thursday of November, it only meant one thing: Thanksgiving! Well, fine - two things. Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The latter is not really a holiday in the real sense of the word, but it's something worth celebrating all right. America, after all, is the land of consummerism. Who else would have thought of having a mega-sale the day after a traditional holiday? You gotta admire the marketing beauty of it all.

Anyway, let me get back on topic. Motivation. Just what is it exactly anyway? Wikipedia says it is the "driving force by which humans achieve their goals" (http://goo.gl/X1t3x).  The website Wily Walnut says that motivation is like an engine that drives you forward and gets you going; about getting you "out of that state of inertia and into motion" (http://goo.gl/Xjosy).

(photo credit: http://goo.gl/HzNqd)

I feel that this word is very powerful. At work, I would hear people say that they need the motivation in order to get things done. Or, how one management decision  would lead people to becoming demotivated, which might even lead to employee relations issues. The term may be a tad overused, true, but it does not make it any less significant. As human beings, we feel that there has to be meaning to the things that we do. Otherwise, what's the point right? Those who are privilieged enough to have a comfortable life tend to have "motivational" issues. By that I mean: since food, shelter, survival is not an issue for them, they look for a deeper explanation. Something more meaningful, more profound.

The quote at the beginning of this entry struck a chord within me. I know I have been going on for the longest time about how I am at the longest quarter-life crisis ever. For crying out loud, I am already 30 years old! So I got to thinking: what is it that really motivates me? Whilst I am still supposedly trying to figure out what it is that I am destined to become, I might as well think of the things that would take me there, right? Let's see...


Doing a challenging task - I am "fortunate" to be in a position that has a lot of challenges. Fortunate is in quotation marks because, at times it can be too much. But for the most part, I enjoy how my job requires me to think. As we are dealing with systems, designs, and money, it pushes me to really come up with solutions that will be sustainable (i.e., not a band-aid or quick-fix) and beneficial to the customers. Plus, it pays to have team members on your side with the same goals. Time will come when I would have to take on a different role (and from the looks of it, the time may come sooner rather than later). Maybe my new role would be less challenging, I don't know. Given the chance, I would want to continue with this role for the next twelve months or so. But that decision is really not up to me. Enough of that for now.

A  generous compensation and reward scheme - I am not ashamed to admit this bit. Like the thousands of employees out there, I feel that I deserve to be paid more. I don't want to dwell too much on the reasons why I am right (ahem). But I do know this - there should be more creative ways to reward people. I mean, it does not always have to be about money, right? I can accept tablet PCs, a new smartphone, a spa treatment perhaps, or even gift checks from a good bookstore. See? I'm not being greedy. Hehehe. Seriously, though, I firmly believe that you attract more flies with honey. So employers should come up with generous reward schemes. Make people feel special. Celebrate their victories.

Seeing the bigger picture - I have always been an advocate of this. One should look at the bigger picture. If there is something you are doing that does not seem to make sense, try to look at the bigger picture. Does it fit in the bigger scheme of things? If you're having challenges with seeing it, then go ask. Seek help. It does not hurt to ask, right? Looking at the bigger picture is a big step towards maturity, I would say.

There are a lot of other motivators  that we shall come across in our lifetime. For me, I think the three listed above definitely in my top ten (or maybe even top 5). The point is, knowing what it is that inspires or motivates you puts in a good advantage. It fits perfectly with the seven habits, me thinks, especially when it comes to beginning with the end in mind and putting first things first.