Motivation can come from many sources. Here are my top 5 locations for motivation
1) Within my Team
You know those people you spend 8 hours a day with? Those strangers you sit next to or those that report to you? These people, that you typically spend more time with than anyone else during the week can motivate you. Even if you are at the top of the food chain, the people that report to you have brilliant ideas. There was a great expression “surround yourself with people that are smarter than you”. Why do you think that saying have value? Insight comes from all layers of an organization. Just because you are top dog, doesn’t mean you have all the answers or have a strangle-hold on good ideas. Keep yourself open to the idea that others may have value as well.
2) Blogs
Blogs provide unique insight and perspective to a niche audience. Unlike arcane newspapers or magazines, there is higher interaction between a blog and it’s audience. This is promoted through forums and comments. Blogs help me hunt down specific ideas. Using tools like Google Reader, I can group a number of blogs into groups, allowing me to aggregate news and information. This grouping and notification system allows me to watch everything and nothing at the same time. Like splatter-vision, certain topics will catch my eye but I can survey the landscape at all times.
The toughest part of being motivated by blogs is finding one that speaks to you in a consistent voice on topics that are of interest to you.
3) Twitter
Follow and do it often. Engage with others. Then group into lists and keep up to date on topics of interest. Twitter is a hyper-interactive newsfeed. It allows me to get the news but engage with the anchorman. Great for following topics and drilling into a conversation when things are interesting or unclear.
4) Family / Friends
Those that know you best are the best sounding board. You can speak to them about new ideas and brainstorm with them how to solve existing problems. Whether you want to or not, these people will have a profound influence on the way you think. Their ideas will impact the way you execute your own ideas at the workplace.
5) Courses
Your mind is a sponge – and while participating in courses, you are ready to absorb everything you can. The people you meet and the material that you are being shown is of interest to you. Courses can provide new ways of thinking, new models to apply, or refresh the way you’ve done things in the past.
What inspires you? You probably have your own inspiration – athletes? musicians? scientists? Do share!
