How Leaders Stay Motivated

Greetings Leaders!

I was watching the movie The Legend of Bagger Vance last night and it reminded me that in difficult times it is important to remember what we’re living for. The movie was set in the 1930s during the great depression. One of the minor subplots revolved around a man who lost his store and had to resort to street cleaning to support his family. His young son, embarrassed by his dad’s new occupation, avoided and despised him.

Well, it turns out that his dad was a man of character. As his store went out of business he ensured he paid all his debts… at the expense of losing his life savings. Out of money, he did what he had to do, to feed his family. He didn’t become a street cleaner because it was his dream job. He did it because he loved his family. He did what he had to….

As a leader, you go to work every day. Why? Let’s discuss money briefly. Money is a necessity of life – but money is not the reason you go to work. Not really. It is what money buys that you really want. Like the dad in Bagger Vance, perhaps you want to provide for your family? Or maybe you want a bit more and dream of owning mansions and taking vacations around the world. Money can also provide the illusion of power and control that some of you desire.

What I hope you take away after reading this, is that to stay motivated, you need a reason besides money. Understand what motivates you, and when times get tough you will persevere. While I do not want to judge your motivations, I will say that the more altruistic your motivations are, the more likely you will be to stay focused. When you have a deep desire to make a difference in the world, this will drive you to continue when life weighs heavily on you.

Leaders stay motivated by having a reason, a purpose behind what they do.

What is your reason? Your goals? Your desires?

All the best!
All the time!
JT