5 Ways of Finding Motivation in Unexpected Places

Most days, I wake up with a sense of purpose and a spring in my step. I’ve had the whole night to figure out what I want to do. Yeah, right!

Actually, I’m more likely to wake up sleep-deprived, more tired than when I went to bed, and still racking my brain about how to get through another workday. By mid-week, I struggle through my morning cuppa, scrolling through emails, and wonder how quickly Friday will arrive.

Typically, I turn to social media for a “pick-me-up”, a quick giggle, or just to relieve myself of the workday routine. Thank God I’m brilliant at multi-tasking.

Day after day, from one week to the next, this was my life, and I thought it was NORMAL. Until one day, I picked up one of those inspirational magazines, I can’t remember its name, and just like that, I found my long-lost energy.

I realized that the sense of dread I woke up with daily, which drained me and left me lethargic, was my subconscious rebelling against being tethered to a job I didn’t enjoy. However, said job paid the bills and put food on my table. When so many people were jobless, I couldn’t be ungrateful, so I decided to change how I approached my job.

Even though I worked from home, I decided to keep strict office hours — no work after hours unless it was a matter of life or death — after hours were strictly for family and pursuing hobbies I enjoyed. I gained control of my life by finding what I liked doing and doing it with passion, energy, and enthusiasm.

The positive vibes I got by claiming back my leisure hours spilled over into my work, and I found myself humming as I sifted through the email, laughing at a challenge that would have irked me before. I couldn’t change my job, so I changed my mindset, and it worked!

Sometimes, you can find motivation in unexpected places:

Deep Within

I’ve known people who found their inspiration from within. They tackled their energy drain head-on by talking to their boss about their constant criticism or taking the drastic step of changing their job.

Magazines

For me, it was in a magazine, which is not unusual because I am an editor who proofread thousands of words daily. You may find it in one of those motivational and inspirational books instead.

Mentors

Others look to mentors for motivation. Soul-searching speeches by tycoons and Ted Talks are a good source of inspiration. Successful people like Oprah Winfrey or Jack Ma sharing their trials to get to where they are can uplift someone who feels hopeless.

Turning Obstacles into Blessings

Some people have a knack for finding motivation in times of adversity and view the challenges as gifts in disguise. If you’re the type of person that can rise to the occasion, then the lesson can be a blessing.

Family and Friends

You may look at the positive people around you for inspiration too. Parents, siblings, and even your children’s zest for life can be a resource to tap into for motivation. Looking from someone else’s perspective may shift your own.

It is still a challenge to not fall back on old routines, and I have to make a conscious effort to bring my best self to work, but my renewed energy has also impacted my performance at work. My “happy” outlook is spilling over onto my co-workers, and they are reciprocating my positive attitude.

I also make a conscious effort to be an inspiration to others. More importantly, leading with empathy is one way of ensuring a motivated workforce. I try to give the people under my wing pep talks and ask them about their day, troubles, and loved ones.

And how do I know I’m getting it right? The regular texts I get from my team to thank me for motivating them to do better, learn new skills, and try the scary jobs they think they’ll fail at, then don’t, prove it. Yes, I am that manager who makes every day a team-building, skill-sharing kind of day.

If you can't find inspiration, maybe you need to BE the inspiration you want to see in the World — or whatever that Gandhi fellow said — he seemed to know what's what. Let Love Lead.