Finding Motivation Exercise
We often look to institutions to provide us with structure. Take education: our first experience is in elementary school. The routine this experience provided gave us a sense of security. Another example is a job. There is a set time, place, and specific tasks that we are expected to do.
What institutions provide is structures of accountability. During this time of COVID-19, those of us who used to work in an office, or attend school, find ourselves at home. No structure, no accountability. Not having these things can create some angst, but also provide an opportunity for you create those structures of accountability for yourself.
As entrepreneurs we have always had to set structures up for ourselves; otherwise we would not be successful! Adding a global pandemic to the mix can shake even the most disciplined among us. That said, we can build on the experience we have had to continue to adjust and grow with this new experience. We must remember where our motivation comes from and build from there. We must remember that our moral compass must be inside of us, and it is what will help us navigate these uncertain waters.
Institutions and the structures they create can provide some comfort, but also can be stifling. I felt that about two years before I left my administrative job at the university. I just felt like I was outgrowing the space that the institution provided for me. I wanted more from my work, but I did not want to leave… I just wanted more from it. My job needed me to stay the same in order to keep the structures of accountability working the way they were meant to.
After a while I just could not do it anymore and I left. Having worked over 15 years in a structure that I liked very much, leaving it set me in a bit of a tailspin. My internal guidance system was underdeveloped, I had was not very good at self-management, and I did not have the confidence – nor the faith – in my abilities to go at it alone.
Institutional structures lull you into complacency. Succumbing to them atrophies the development of entrepreneurial skills. Once you decide to leave, or as is often the case, the decision is made for you, then you need time to get to you know yourself again. This now needs to come from within, and outside of regular work. If so, I recommend the following reflective exercise. Ask yourself:
What did I want to be when I “grew up”?
What did I want to do after graduating high school or college?
Where do I see myself in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years?
What am I most afraid of?
What am I most proud of?
Finally, what skills do I have, both tangible (building things, fixing things, computer coding, public speaking, teaching, coaching, multilingual) and intangible (compassionate, great at generating new ideas, can see the big picture, can create metaphors to help simplify complex ideas for others, multilingual)?
These are questions that will get you refamiliarized with your internal self: the self that was squished into the structure provided by your job and that was not allowed to grow and develop as it should have. Once you get a sense of who you are, you then figure out what you want to become.
This process will take some time. So, before you do it, you should create a structure of accountability that comes from you. This will ensure that the structure you create will motivate you, meet your needs, and provide you with room to grow. I believe entrepreneurs are uniquely up to the task, especially during these uncertain times.
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