Motivation doesn't last. We wish it would, and I especially, since I'm what is termed a 'Motivational Speaker'. It's a misnomer. The truth is: no one can motivate you, and even if they could, it wouldn't last.
Though we feel good when we go to a seminar or workshop or experience a speaker who does a good 'pump up', the other side of the coin is learning what to do when the 'pump up' wears off. Just as important, it pays to understand the nature of motivation in the first place, which would leave little room for disappointment when the 'pump up' wears off and you're back to the daily grind of doing what must be done.
To me, motivation is like lighter fluid, whereas inspiration is like charcoal. When you get out the grill, you fill it with charcoal. You then pour lighter fluid over the charcoal. When you set the lighter fluid on fire, you get a big 'poof' of a flame, depending on how much lighter fluid you poured on. The big 'poof' has an important job: to get the fire started. Then the 'poof' vanishes, just as quickly as it came. It was great while it lasted.
When the poof vanishes, a fire remains. Now, the charcoal is engaged. It is set on fire and can continue to burn for hours. No one would attempt to burn lighter fluid for hours; it's impractical and dangerous. Knowing the nature of lighter fluid makes it easy to apply it where it's needed, with care and attention.
The same holds true for motivation--it's great for starting fires, yet it's not designed to sustain a fire. Being full of motivation when starting a project is appropriate, but don't depend on that same gust of motivation to carry you and your team through to successful completion.
You'll need more than lighter fluid to keep your barbecue burning, and you'll need more than motivation to keep yourself engaged. That's where charcoal comes in, once it has been sufficiently lit, it can burn for hours, supplying the needed heat to cook anything.
When motivation wears off, allow the inner fire of inspiration to continue to be a catalyst for movement toward a successful outcome. What about this project inspires you? What about it touches and harmonizes with your personal core values? What can you give of your unique talents, ideas, creativity and strengths to make the goal? Asking yourself these questions taps into the inner fire of inspiration, which continues to burn long after the 'pump up'.
Notice that the answer to these questions comes from within. As I stated earlier, no one can motivate you. You alone are responsible for setting your own fire, and you're responsible for keeping it burning. You are tending the grill of your work life. The key is filling your grill with charcoal, and knowing when and how much lighter fluid to pour on. Then, set it ablaze and continue to keep the fire burning, even when--and especially when--the initial big 'poof' vanishes.
And remember, you wouldn't want to tend a grill that has a continuous stream of lighter fluid being poured on it, you wouldn't be able to stand the heat. The same is true at work, you wouldn't want to work under continuous high energy motivation. It leads to burnout.
Instead, opt to start your project with a kick-off and high energy (motivation), then allow your inner fire (inspiration) to keep you on track as you plan and strategize, implement your strategies and take course corrective action.
Then sit back and enjoy the delicious outcome.
Valerie Love
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