How Do I Maintain Energy, Focus, Motivation, Drive
April 24, 2008
This is one of the most frequently asked questions I hear from clients and participants in my workshops. Everyone seems to be overloaded and drained.
My “prescription” is twofold. First, handle what drains you. Second, focus on what drives you.
Three things that will kill your energy, drain your motivation and derail you faster than anything are (1) tolerating things, (2) being incomplete on things and (3) procrastinating. These are the things that tip the balance, drain your energy, and make it so you don’t have the focus to accomplish your goals.
Think of it like your computer. If you use Windows and have too many things open on your computer, no matter how much memory you have, it’s not going to perform well. It’s a big drain on the resources of your computer. It’s the same thing in our brains. If we have too many things open, it drains our focus, even if we think they’re small.
If energy, focus and motivation seem to be waning, the number-one strategy is to take inventory and identify:
-- “What am I putting up with? -- What am I incomplete on or around? -- What am I procrastinating on that is sucking away my energy?”
Make your list of what you’re tolerating, what’s incomplete and what you’re procrastinating on, and make it a priority to start cleaning up some of the low-hanging fruit.
Clean up the little stuff first because that will give you an energy surge. Then keep up the practice of keeping your inventory of tolerations, incompletions and procrastinations as low as possible. Those are huge drains on your energy and motivation.
Have a Clear and Compelling WHY
The other piece of maintaining motivation and focus is having a clear “why.” Sometimes I call this your ‘bigger why’. Your bigger why is the real thing that motivates you to take action.
The bigger question that will help you keep going is to get clear on “why.” “If I had that, why would it matter? What would I be able to do with that?”
For example, what motivates me to keep plugging away at growing my business, when it might be easier to go get a job somewhere?
Well, part of my “big why” is my children. I want to be a model for them on how you can achieve success on your own terms. And, I want to be here for them. I want the flexibility to be home when school is out and to scale back my work schedule during summers and school breaks. But, I also want to do work that I feel makes a difference to others and makes good use of my God given talents and strengths. That’s the big “why” that drives me forward.
When I start to get unmotivated and think, “Maybe this is good enough. I should just stop here.” Or when I get frustrated with my business (it happens!) I reconnect with why I am really doing this. I’m not doing this just for the purpose of having a business. I’m doing this for a much bigger purpose.
What is it for you? What is that aspiration?
Connecting with that compelling vision, not only about what you want but WHY you want it and why it matters to the world and to you, will keep you energized. The “why,” and the emotional connection to that “why,” is the source of your energy.
Succeed Coaching and Development
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(c) 2006-2008 Shawn Driscoll, Succeed Coaching and Development, All rights reserved.
