How many times have you found yourself doing things or making decisions almost without knowing why and undecided about the consequences? I have spoken many times about the importance of being aware of your values, priorities and needs not only on a personal level but also professionally. I consider it essential to ensure that what you do is aligned with what you want, so that you do not find yourself dedicating your time and energy to something that does not satisfy you or make you feel fulfilled, something that is more frequent than it seems. But apart from that there is also another factor that is important to know and that can greatly determine the strategic decisions you make in your career or business: your motivators.
You don't usually talk much about motivators, but it is something that plays an important role in your satisfaction and, if you don't know them, you may be doing things without really knowing why or without having the results you want. There are five main motivators that can influence everything you do: money, freedom, status, making your mark and developing your natural passions and talents. It is important that you know which combination you have, which are the most important for you, because that can determine many of your actions and decisions.
In the long term, intrinsic motivators (leaving a mark, developing your talents) produce more satisfaction than external motivators (status or money), but that does not mean that some are better than others. It is not a matter of judging yourself by what motivates you, but of knowing to what extent each one motivates you to be able to make decisions accordingly. If you think about your professional choices so far, you will be aware of what has motivated you so far. Normal is to have a combination but there will always be one or two majority who play a bigger role in your decisions.
For example, suppose that what motivates you the most is money, what impact does this have for you? Obviously you will feel satisfied in a profession where you earn a lot of money. If you have a business, your decisions will have the main objective of increasing your income, even if it involves other kinds of sacrifices (everything requires some sacrifice, that's how it is). In your case it is important to remember that, from a certain level, money does not increase happiness; so you have to be aware of the rest of your motivators, to pay due attention to them.
Another case may be status or social recognition. For many people it is important that their profession is recognized or achieve achievements that are recognized. That means that if you have to choose between a job with the possibility of achievements and promotions and another well-paid but little-recognized or without the possibility of promotion, you have it very clear. With status it happens as with money, it is still an external motivator and, therefore, it is important that you take into account your other motivators so that you do not spend your life depending on the approval of others.
Other people have a need to change the world, to contribute their grain of sand, to do something that makes a difference. For them it is very enriching and, as I spoke the other day with a lawyer, they would give up a good salary for a position that had greater social involvement. What happens is that money is something so ingrained and well accepted that it is often scary to make that decision, after all, who does not like to live well? But if you are aware of how truly important it is to you, then it is easier to make the decision and look for a job that fulfills that need to do something meaningful.
The remaining two motivators are: the freedom to do what you want and the need to develop your talents and passions, being more important to you than any of the other factors mentioned above. Does this mean you don't want to make money? Not necessarily. Remember that what you have is a combination, some are simply more important than others. Being clear about at least your two main motivators will help you make better professional decisions or, if like me you have a business, to be clear about which path to follow and what to do or not to do because, because you can do something does not mean you have to do it.
So tell me, what are your two main motivators?
