When Motivation is Your Strength & Your Weakness

When I graduated from college, I was adamant that I would land a good job, have a corner office in just a few short years and drive a fancy BMW with all of my earnings. Well, that expectation was short-lived.
Fast-forward to a year into my first job. I eagerly joined the company ready to add value and excel, leaving an impressionable mark on the agency’s history. I was a beacon of enthusiasm, new ideas and a lot of hope for my future — I was motivated to succeed and nothing was going to get in my way.
I quickly learned that success is defined by so much more than hard work; I rapidly noticed that kindness should be married with patience; I grew to understand my energy and time are my most important assets and should be protected. Most importantly, I discovered that my motivation alone wasn’t enough.
Have you ever worked really hard on an idea — did the research, drafted the overall concept and presented it ever so eloquently — only to hear a resounding, “no.”? Or have you ever used your innovative prowess to propose improvements for inefficient processes but you’re met with uncertainty? Not because it’s a bad idea but because you’re new or too inexperienced to know what you’re talking about. Here’s another good one: Have you ever recommended a great idea, you‘re met with an “eh” reply but someone else recommends it and they get a round of applause? Yep, been there…a lot.
At first, I responded to those replies with a positive attitude but my hope started to dwindle after a year of “no’s” and I found myself reacting with frustration. I became upset with everyone’s inability to see my value and slowly but surely began to disengage. My mindset was: “Clearly my ideas or opinion don’t matter so I’m just not going to say anything anymore.” The motivation that was once a strength quickly became my weakness.
During that time, I didn’t realize that becoming quiet and stoic was hurting my career more than it was hurting the firm’s business. Being mentally checked-out from my work during certain periods was prohibiting my growth, not the company’s. My career trajectory was my responsibility and I was harming it day by day through my actions.
A few more years went by before I was ready for something new: a more challenging role, better growth opportunities, a chance to revitalize my personal brand and simply start over. Starting over didn’t mean beginning from a blank slate, though. To me, it meant using all the lessons from my old job to make the next experience better. And I did just that.
First and foremost, I didn’t have kindness without patience. Being kind to everyone around you doesn’t guarantee that it will be reciprocated or embraced the way you anticipated. But be kind anyway. It will make you easier to work with, granting you more opportunities for exposure and growth.
“You build your ‘personal brand’ by consistently being excellent.” — Myleik Teele
Secondly, working hard, consistently. You always hear, “work hard and you’ll be successful” and while that’s true, consistency shouldn’t be omitted from that statement. Consistently give your best, consistently produce exceptional work, consistently drive results, and consistently foster relationships. And when you’re starting to feel demotivated, find ways to keep yourself inspired (e.g. books, accountability partners, podcasts).
And, finally, I took control of my career. I determined my goals and agreed that 1,000 no’s wouldn’t suppress my drive. I decided that even if my ideas weren’t accepted, I wasn’t going to allow myself to feel defeated. If you find yourself getting to that point, continue to work hard and remain engaged because you never know who’s watching you, waiting to give you the next opportunity.
No matter how inadequate you feel, never stop finding ways to learn and grow. Why? Because this is your career, your life and your goals. Take advantage of the resources around you to expand your proficiency in certain areas and develop your skills. The knowledge you gain from those resources is yours — it can’t be taken from you and it lays the foundation for your ability to add value.
Now, in full transparency, I still haven’t perfected my poker face, but I have perfected the understanding that my destiny isn’t owned by anyone else. My success is mine and I need to be led by it instead of being led by others’ inability to see my value. My motivation is my strength, I can’t let it be my weakness.
I’m a work in progress but I’m getting there thanks to my experiences and a little help from friends. Oh, and I’m still working on that fancy BMW.
