“The key thing to remember is not
that we need to be fast but that
we are running a race that has no finish line. So the fuel that
drives usneeds to be made of something substantial –
something for the heart that the head can also follow.”
~ Vincent Kralyevich, President, Videoschoolhouse
There seem to be two very distinct forms of motivation that propel people to do the things that they do. One of them is sort of a pull, and the other is more of a push.
I believe that those things that are most aligned with our own unique blueprint – that which we were put on this earth to achieve – are endeavors that we tend to be passionate about and often inexplicably drawn to. When we work toward a vision to create something for the greater good and to utilize our God given talents to bring it into the world, we experience immense satisfaction, gratification, and joy. And, we tend to attract others who are motivated to partner with us in some way.
Projects of this kind, while not without their challenges, often put us into a zone where we actually lose track of time, space, and sometimes even our own physical needs. We open ourselves up and become transformed by the work itself, almost as something is being poured into us and slowly revealed through us.
Often, we feel compelled to get involved in things that do not bring us this kind of joy and satisfaction. Some of these things are just a part of our daily responsibilities – the kind that come with the job. But others are things we take on, even though our hearts are not in them – committees, special projects, initiatives, etc.
Projects like these require energetic, inspiring leaders. When we do them for the wrong reasons, we are anything but that, as our dread of another meeting and impatience with events and tasks that do not really interest us will bring us and everyone around us down.
Sometimes the way in which we do things (even things we are passionate about) is not aligned with who we really are, but rather with some unmet need we are trying to fill. When we overcomplicate or over orchestrate things, we leave a place of inspiration and enter a self created set of limitations. And as we allow doubt, fear, and our need for approval, control, power or prestige to creep in, we find that the work we are doing becomes laborious and heavy.
If we are to be true leaders, we must be aware of what is fueling our endeavors and consciously shift away from the ways in which we push ourselves (or allow others to push us) so that we can be drawn into that which we are really here to do. Rather than trying to make more productive that which we should not be doing at all, we need to be honest with ourselves about the reasons we are doing things and align our energy, talent and effort with endeavors that truly benefit the greatest good.
This may mean stepping down from activities that are not aligned with our highest priorities or handing them over to people for whom those activities have a better fit. Or it could mean allowing ourselves to let go of our preconceived ideas about how everything needs to happen and open up to possibilities we may not previously considered.
What do you think?
Unleash the Extraordinary!
Diane Bolden
© blog posts copyright 2007 Diane Bolden. All rights reserved.
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