There may be days when it feels challenging to accomplish tasks, or you don't feel like doing your best to achieve your goals. There's this feeling of knowing that you are stuck but don't feel like doing anything to change it for some unknown reason. We've all been there at some point in life, and it takes more than just reading motivational quotes on social media to regain your drive. You're in the right place if you've been searching for "how to find motivation" or ways to increase your drive. We will walk you through various types of drivers and the best ways to get motivated.
Daniel Pink's book, Drive, reveals that the secret to high performance and satisfaction is less about financial reward and more about our need to direct our lives, learn and create new things, and feel a sense of progress. Science has been on the tail of this since the 1940s, amassing more evidence. Evidence proves humans are more complex, inventive, and require more to motivate them than the simple carrots and sticks many organizations offer.
The new age of work will bring massive changes and the emergence of future jobs. Where workforces once could be driven with rewards and kept in line with fear of punishment, today's employees buck this system. Jobs are tilting from the routine and algorithmic toward empathic, creative, and non-routine pursuits. These creative right-brained roles now account for around 70% of job growth. Pink argues that motivational systems need to be updated.
In today's ever-changing world of work, we hear people leaving high-paying jobs for lower-paid roles that provide a clearer sense of purpose. Roles that align with their values and make them feel more human. Although pay remains the dominant motivator for many of us, other factors influence our happiness and motivation. Knowing these factors will help you understand what motivates you.
Intrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic drivers
Extrinsic drivers motivate us to do our tasks either because we want to earn a reward or avoid punishment. Although finishing tasks may feel rewarding, this feeling eventually fades. On the other hand, our desire for autonomy, belonging, and competence drives intrinsic motivation.
We are far more than one-dimensional, extrinsically motivated profit maximizers. We are also intrinsically motivated purpose maximizers. If you don't feel motivated at work, you might ask yourself if your role aligns with your values. To enjoy your work, it must play to your passion and interests. To learn more about yourself, take our free Career Interests Quiz here.
So how do you get motivated at work?
There are specific ways to fuel up your motivation at work. Some steps require understanding yourself, developing the right mindset, and cultivating the will to create habits to sustain your drive.
Understand yourself
Take time to reflect and think clearly. Is your work feeding your purpose and aligned with your values and interests? Does it make you feel human? If you are unsure of the answer, you can take the free Career Interests Quiz to understand your natural interests and the jobs that will make you happy and fulfilled.
Use a to-do list
Decide on the tasks required to reach your goals. Whether small or big, listing and completing tasks will give you a sense of direction and achievement as you accomplish them. Start by writing down your "to-dos," prioritize the list, and cross them out as you finish them. What's more satisfying than watching yourself get things done!
Create bigger goals
We can feel stuck at work because we don't create big enough goals to challenge ourselves. Creating a new and exciting vision for your growth can ignite passion and purpose. Once you have created your vision, your actions will start to align towards achieving it naturally.
Celebrate your wins
Whenever you complete a task, whether large or small, take a moment to celebrate – it will feed your motivation and prepare you to take on your next challenge. Celebrating only the completion of major goals will only inspire you occasionally. Find ways to celebrate your daily successes, and feel inspired for a lifetime!
Reduce distractions
It is easy to be distracted by social media, alerts, email, and people. However, minimizing distractions is a key to developing yourself, your relationships with others, and preparing for the future of work. Tracking your distractions using the Talent Transformation worksheet will help you identify and plan to eliminate distractions. Once you recognize the impact of distractions, you can plan to reduce them.
Invest in yourself
Your perception of your levels of competence is essential for intrinsic motivation. And continuous learning is key to staying relevant in the new world of work. So take time to reflect on your strengths and areas to improve. You'll feel empowered to do your tasks confidently by continuously developing your skills.
Motivation is not something you get from reading quotes or pushing yourself to do things. Instead, motivation requires understanding and nurturing. Follow the steps listed here to understand your value and purpose – and gain a sense of direction that will lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.
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