Motivation can be defined as the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving a particular way. Many people look for outside stimuli such as money, competition, greed, lack, to motivate them. The trouble with outside stimuli is that once it is taken away, the motivation bubble bursts and you are left de-motivated. When the stimulus for motivation is internal, the desire to achieve your goals is based on what is important to you and is fueled by you. So, what motivates you?Self motivation is a key characteristic particular to most successful people. These are people who wake up day after day, to face possible rejection with the belief that the next sale or step towards progress is around the next corner. Those with low self motivation either compete against others in similar positions, or have resigned themselves to a status quo where they seem to have stagnated and do not make any progress at all.Ashley is a business development manager and loves her job. She is in the office by 6.30am. She is full of positive energy and will go to any length to ensure that her clients are satisfied and that the office is happy, without ruffling any feathers. This has caused her clients to be so dedicated to her that they would rather sit waiting for hours than deal with someone else. Her colleagues in the office support her as she is constantly willing to encourage and help those around her even though her schedule is packed to the brim. Ashley is confident in who she is and is fearless of any kind of competition. Does that sound like you? Or the kind of person you would like to be?Gerald on the other hand, regional head of marketing, keeps his position and is continually growing because he is determined that no one will match him in the company he works for. This makes him difficult to work with as he only shares information on a ‘need-to’ basis, secretly chasing leads, undercutting his colleagues, and is known to take credit for work done by his juniors. He is afraid to go on leave because others may shine when he is away. Do you know someone like that?
Which of the two would you rather be? Make a conscious decision not to compete negatively with your peers, or direct reports. Decide to be driven by the internal desire to progress. Look within yourself and clearly define that which drives you. If you find fear, find the root of the fear and deal with it. Create the grounds for a genuine desire to progress.
Tap into your internal desire to win, design your own life plan, make the necessary preparations, and discover your full potential by taking action. This is a recipe for success.
