Let’s take a look under the hood: What is the motor that’s driving your desire to succeed? What do you have at stake?
Your reputation? Your income? The survival of your career? Do you have your pride at stake? Your dignity? Are the lives and well-being of others at stake? Do you have your family at stake? Your kids? Do you still need to prove something to somebody; your friends, your family or yourself?
Having something at stake is the greatest of all motivators. It gives purpose, grants meaning and provides reason. It also sharpens focus, validates intention, beefs up resolve and pumps hot adrenalin through your veins.
Having something at stake is not the same as desperation, which provokes “manic panic.” Having something at stake is more like working like there’s something more important to you than just the frills & thrills of victory.
Important because if you don’t have anything at stake, if you’re just going through the motions, then you need to make up a new game. A bigger one. With new rules. With something important at stake. Because not having anything at stake provokes the question: Why Bother?