Unlocking Your Motivation: The Four Pillars of Drive
Dan Pink is someone who’s view on motivation has been the cornerstone of my own thinking since I discovered his work around 12 years ago.
During coaching meetings I've often referred to motivation as a three-legged stool - take one leg away and it doesn't function as an object. I've since revised my thinking to motivation being a four-legged chair which is an analogy that still works because whilst it's more stable without one of its legs than a two-legged stool, it's still not fit for purpose. Let's delve into these four pillars and explore six ways you can optimise your inner drive.
Expertise: Mastering Your Craft. Expertise is the bedrock of motivation. When we feel competent and skilled in a particular area, our confidence soars, fuelling our desire to achieve more. Whether it's honing your craft at work, perfecting a hobby, or mastering a new skill, being good at something drives us to push our boundaries and reach new heights. Conversely, try and recall a time when you felt that you didn't have the skills to perform a task - how did that make you feel in terms of your desire to press forward? Ultimately, take away our ability to perform something well to our and others' expectation and our motivation to push on dissipates over time.
Empowerment: Taking Control of Your Destiny. Empowerment is the existence of control over our own lives and actions. When we feel empowered, we are more likely to take risks, set ambitious goals, and persist in the face of adversity. In the workplace, a lack of empowerment takes ownership of decision-making away from us - we may feel micro-managed, resulting in us feeling that we have to ask for permission more frequently in order to progress our actions. As a result we lose that sense of self-determination, causing us to feel less energised in the task at hand.
Purpose: Finding Meaning in What You Do. Purpose is the compass that guides our actions and gives them meaning. When we connect our goals to a larger cause or vision, our motivation becomes boundless. On a personal level, working in concert with our values (see separate blog on this) allows us to set meaningful goals that align with them, feeding an intrinsic inner need. In the workplace, understanding how our personal values fit with the team KPIs and what the business is striving to achieve (its Mission, Values and Purpose) allows us to see where our own efforts fit in the bigger picture, giving our work purpose.
Affiliation: Building Connections and Support. Affiliation speaks to our innate need for social connections and belonging. Surrounding ourselves with a supportive network of friends, family, mentors, and colleagues can fuel our motivation and provide us with the encouragement and accountability we need to succeed. Affiliation, in my view, is less important than expertise, empowerment and purpose, but the more I've experienced working in motivated teams the more I've come to realise that the connections we have with others play an important role. Equally, the relative absence of the other three give rise to a deficit in motivation and it is sometimes a strong sense of affiliation that can hold an otherwise sub-optimal team together.
Six Ways to Boost Your Motivation:
Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve and break it down into manageable steps. Clear goals provide direction and focus, keeping you motivated and on track. Seek clarity as to where your role/tasks fit within the bigger picture.
Upskill: Identify any skills gaps you might have. Ask for help and support in shoring up any shortfalls. Seek out self-improvement courses. Learn from others who have more experience than you do - such vulnerability builds trust, collaboration and your competence.
Create a Support System: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your goals. Share your aspirations with them and lean on their support during challenging times. Enlist the ongoing help and support of a leader, a colleague, a mentor or a coach to give you a sense of accountability and responsibility that can support positive action-taking as well as asking you the questions that are needed to maintain momentum.
Practice Self-Compassion & Celebrate Wins: Be kind to yourself during setbacks and failures. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend. Acknowledge and reward yourself for each milestone you reach. Celebrating small victories boosts your confidence and momentum.
Fuel Your Passion: Engage in activities that inspire and energise you. Whether it's reading, exercising, or pursuing a hobby, make time for things that bring you joy and rejuvenate your spirit.
Instigate a Conversation Regarding Greater Autonomy: If your environment lends itself to it, talk to those who have power over your current situation about your need for more empowerment. Talk in terms of what works best for you, how that might help your colleagues/line manager/the organisation, how that would make you feel and whether a different way of working could be trialled. Ultimately, ask for help - most people will be only too willing to support if the request is positioned in the right way.
Motivation is not and must not be a fleeting spark - it's an attribute that can be nurtured and developed over time. By understanding and developing these four pillars, we can unlock our full potential and set ourselves on a path to success. If any of this resonates and you'd like a conversation as to how I might help you in your journey, please reach out and we can have a free 15 minute consultation.
