You have to find inner motivation to hit big goals.
I have a confession. There are some people out there who really love to workout. They look forward to it; it’s their outlet. Me? I don’t really enjoy it that much. It’s a chore. At the end of a long day, the last thing I want to do is swing a kettle-bell, punch a bag, pound pavement or lift weights.
But I love playing volleyball. I love coaching my kid’s basketball and soccer. And I can’t do those things at the level I want (or injury-free) without staying in shape. My reason for working out is it enables me to do the things I want. That's my reason to put one foot in front of the other during workouts.
Sure, there are a lot of other benefits from working and those are all great and wonderful. But my reason for working out doesn’t have to be the same as yours. And that's the secret to success.
Let’s face it, despite all of the content out there that says we need to "find our passion" for our career...we aren’t going to love every job we have. And we aren’t going to love every boss. So, if we're not passionate about a job, is a paycheck good enough? Unfortunately, if your reason for working is simply to collect a paycheck you’re getting the raw end of that deal.
You see, time is the real currency of our day. It’s the only thing that we can’t make more of. Once a day is gone? It’s gone. Forever. If you’re exchanging that day for a few bucks? You are undervaluing your time. You are undervaluing your life! You can never get a big enough paycheck that justifies you exchanging a day (or years!) of your life for those dollars.
You have to find your reason (or reasons) beyond the paycheck. And as I said above, you aren't going to love each boss and each job. So, what else is there?
Each position I’ve taken over the last decade has been calculated. Each job I’ve had has prepared me for the next job. That’s one of my “reasons” (secret to success #2; you can have more than one reason!).
I don’t take jobs that I can walk in and do on day 1. There’s no growth in that, no challenge. I take jobs that I’m not really sure I can do because it prepares me for the next job. Do I say that in an interview? Not a chance! But inside I’m thinking “what the heck am I getting myself into?” If you aren't scared, you aren't thinking big enough.
When I take a job that I can’t ‘quite’ do yet…the company is essentially paying me to learn! According to this USA Today article, the average annual cost for a four-year public university is roughly $9,000 a year. I went to college and loved my experience. But I can’t continually go back to school to learn new things.
However, if I take a position that’s just outside of my capabilities and I learn new skills along the way? I’m getting paid to learn. That company is preparing me for the next job that could potentially pay me more and further allow me to learn new skills. In doing so, I’m getting an exponential return in exchange for my time. I'm getting money, knowledge and preparation for what's next.
If we’re to have any real success in our careers, we have to find our reason(s) beyond the paycheck. Whether it’s an organization that you fully believe in their mission; or perhaps your new boss is someone you want as a mentor. Perhaps you’re like me where gaining new skills and experiences will lead you to your dream career. Whatever your reasons may be…you must find them in order to get real value out of the time you exchange.
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