Motivation stems from within. No one else can motivate us. So what’s the secret to motivating ourselves?
Always have a ticket in hand.
My mom has been advocating this approach my whole life. When one adventure ends, she’d say, have a “ticket” in your hand for the next one – a ticket to a show, a vacation, a party, the theater, even a visit with a friend.
To motivate ourselves, we need something to look forward to.
That same advice applies to work. Feeling blah on Monday morning? Bored with that project? Plodding along from one meeting to the next?
Get a “ticket” in your hand by looking forward to something: tackling a new project, working with a Mentor, contributing to a Mentee, solving an old problem from a different angle, bonding with the team, exploring a new idea, meeting a new client, helping an old client with a new solution.
Our motivation is up to us – we can activate it or we can let it atrophy. Either way, Monday morning will show up again.
p.s. Thanks for the perspective, Mom!
