Forget motivation

I don't like talking about motivation. That makes us focus on the wrong things. We mistake it for a commodity. Something that can be given or bought. It isn't.

And motivation is not even a prerequisite to success. Resilience is.

You can't be resilient if you need a constant source of external motivation.

There must be something within you driving you through trials and tribulations. A core belief. An inspiration. A desire to move forward and get better.

Managers often feel they have a duty to motivate their team.

But you can't motivate others. The only thing you can do is not get in the way of their drive.

You can't force anyone to go anywhere. Even if you believe that's the right place for them.

You can only nudge them in the right direction, hoping they'll go there on their own accord.

Forget about motivation. Share your North Star with your team.

Some will feel inspired. Some won't. That's OK.

Of course, that presupposes that you have that drive. You may need to remind yourself occasionally what inspired you to do what you're doing today.

What to do when you don't feel motivated?

In most cases, you're either scared or bored.

Uncertainty, insecurity, and anxiety all lead to procrastination. Reflect on why you feel that way. Often, breaking down the challenge at hand into smaller tasks can help. Mountains are a lot less scary when you can see the top and a path to it.

If you're bored, try to make your work more interesting. Find the fun in it. Change your approach. Take a few risks.

Or maybe, you just don't like what you're asked to do. That's worth pondering.

Are you paid to do something you're good at or something nobody wants to do?

Ultimately, there's one fundamental question you need to ask yourself.

Do you believe in what you're doing?

Not every job is the right job for you.

Not every company is the right company for you.

No amount of motivation will make you succeed if you're not inspired.

Maybe it's time to find that inspiration elsewhere.