“You can motivate by fear, and you can motivate by reward. But both those methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self motivation” — Homer Rice
There is one trait that is impossible to instill deeply into others — Motivation. You either have it, or you don’t. One question that I get asked a lot: What is something that we look for when we are seeking team members to join our Team at Atlas? In a world full of organizations that are short staffed, how do we not just simply onboard people because they have a pulse, as opposed to hiring those that are going to come aboard and add the most value to our Team? Of course the quick answer is that we look for those of good moral character! But that is not the trait that will propel your organization to the next level. You can have the best character traits in the world, but lack drive, and therefore will not be willing to do what it takes to push yourself and those around you.
So my answer is this… We look for those of great character, AND those that are motivated to be better. I’d rather hire a “B” player that is motived to be better, and add value to them to become the best, than an “A” player that is cocky, unmotivated, and complacent! There is no such thing as being able to motivate others. Sure, every now and then we have to turn on the “you can do it switch”. But that only can last so long. The greatest strength of a leader is one who is intrinsically motivated to do more, be more, and give more. You’re either motivated, or you’re not. There is no in-between. Our job as leaders is to direct and guide motivated individuals, not to motivate them.
Not many people succeed in life without being intrinsically motivated. If you rely on others to energize you, or hesitate until your mood is “just right”, or delay until circumstances are ideal, then you’ll spend most of your life waiting for that perfect moment. Leaders motivate themselves internally rather than depending on external incentives. There’s a world of difference between unmotivated and self-motived people. Unmotivated people give just the amount of required effort. Motivated people give inspired effort. The first group looks to do the minimum; the latter group seeks every opportunity to add value to those around them.
If self-motivation is such a valuable trait, then the question is: Where does self-motivation come from? Here are a couple of ways…
1. Having a clear vision of the future: A vision is an inspiring picture of the future that energizes your mind, will, and emotions to do everything in your power to achieve it. I love the way Simon Sinek said it “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” Passionate people are motivated! A vision leads the leader. It provides the spark that propels a leader forward. Vision activates your sense of purpose, connecting your daily work to your understanding of why God placed you on this earth. The clarity of your vision relates directly to your level of motivation towards your own life!
2. Taking 100% responsibility for the outcome of your life: The expectations of others can keep us from living out our purpose in life. Operating according to someone else’s dream for us—instead of following our own dream—is a recipe for future burnout. Not if, but when! It’s empowering to know that someone else’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality. Negative emotions can also serve as tremendous de-motivators. Yet our emotions do not have to dictate what we do. When we take the steps we know to be right, even when they run contrary to our emotions, eventually our feelings come into alignment with the work we are doing! And that is a huge motivator!
3. Laying out a clear path for the future: Lack of direction leads either to paralysis or misdirected energy, or BOTH… Each of which will suck the life out of motivation. Successful leaders research the road to the top in order to identify waypoints along the journey. These points allow them to develop a mix of short-term and long-range goals that guide their day-to-day activities. They not only have a vision in mind of where they want to be; they also have a practical plan to move toward it.
If you find yourself mentally exhausted at the end of the day, it’s most likely because you’re spending the bulk of your time doing non purposeful tasks. You’re pouring out everything you have into simply trying to motivate your team to get the job done. Simply “getting the job done” doesn’t create a deep rooted motivational drive. I’ll land the plane with this… Motivated leaders motivate everybody around them. If your Team is not motivated to be better, it’s most likely because you lack motivation yourself.
What drives you day in and day out to be a person of greatness? What adds fuel to your tank that lights a fire to want everybody around you to be better? What do you want to be when you grow up? If that drive doesn’t include seeing others grow to their max potential over their life’s journey on your team, and it is simply to see yourself gain more, those around you will sense that, and limit their output to be “just enough” to get through the day. And most likely, you yourself are doing just enough to get through the day, as that is all you have left in you! You can try all the ‘ra ra ra’ tactics you want, but they won’t last. Nothing is more exhausting than to have a bunch of non-motivated people all around you. Just the thought of all that mediocrity running around sounds exhausting!
Leadership Application: On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your own level of self-motivation? What are some things you need to implement to not just drive your Team, but drive yourself?