Up until this last week, my role at the company had been on a downward spiral and my sources of motivation were dwindling with this ride. I was still giving my 100%, but finding passion for what I was doing became challenging because it did not align with the vision of the department. I found myself making the best of the tasks I had been given by expanding their impact for the department, but I had to become my own source of motivation because my manager was precisely this . . . a manager. With the uncertainty of my role and with my other sources mentioning that a layoff was imminent, I was anxious to find another role inside or outside the company.

During that time, I overheard the Technology Infrastructure Vice President mention that 4 keys to motivation exist for employees: Fear, Money, Sex, and Recognition. I put each of these thoughts into my situation in effort to validate the truth of these for my experience.

The first, FEAR, was easily understood. For me, the False Expectation Appearing Real was the loss of my job. Honestly, however, I know how to deal with FEAR when it appears. Even though I was not valued in my role and, thus, a termination prospect, I wasn’t bothered. I simply wanted to be on a team that cheered me across the finish line and best knew how to use my skills. Herein lied my motivation to leave this team . . . not fear, but a desire to find high-performance.

The second, money, has never been key to where I was headed. More money would always be nice, but, with more money came more ways to spend it.
Success and happiness were always built upon my efforts and, in particular, soccer was the one place where the amount of effort contributed to my levels of success and happiness. I have always held that I would work for less if the job became an inspiration through a team that was willing to live the ups and downs of the company’s heartbeats. Thus, I have left companies with greater earning potential to be were I am now.

The third . . . well, the workplace isn’t that for me. Part of my mission statement was about my wife and how I interact with her. This, of course, encompassed everything in our relationship including sex. Somehow, however, I just didn’t see how this part in the relationship had anything to do with my job. Whether I lost my job or was upset with my work, my relationship with her was dependent upon my chosen attitude during the time I spent with her. My attitude did affect us before Awakening, but, before Awakening, I was letting my work determine my attitude. This is a much different story today with a continual improvement on yesterday’s relationship.

The fourth key, recognition, did matter. I wanted the leaders in the company to recognize that I came everyday with 100% Heart, Body, and Soul.
I wanted to know that I was contributing to the success of the team and to the overall financial health of the company. What I was finding was negative recognition. My manager was telling me that I don’t think you have any skills; I don’t think you matter; and I don’t like your work. Some of this was vocalized, but the more powerful statements were made by his exclusion of my knowledge and my effort. I also knew that the same VP who made the statements of motivation had also been key in directing when and how I don’t contribute. There is a much deeper story here about the interactions between us over the last 9 months, but I will say that I demonstrated that I was an active follower and leader on numerous occasions without recognition. And that was OKAY! None of this seemed to matter to the VP or manager and, thus, my role became what it was. Sadly, it also motivated me to find another position.

I did, however, finally receive positive recognition and have been working in my new role for one week. Three people who were responsible for the hiring of the position had seen my work over the last 4 years. They immediately knew I would be a fit when they saw my application. The interview became more about when I will cross the finish line and it also included a hug. Their statements and actions were about trust, setting the vision, and demonstrating the passion involved with their product. I was definitely motivated to join their team . . . the experience became a mini-Awakened graduation for me.

The end result . . . The Vice President has resigned with less than a year’s time at the company. The manager has been reassigned to new areas. I am still with the company and pursuing new levels of success through the promotion. My exit from the team was done without managed parade; however, the handshakes, the emails, the smiles, the compliments, the cheers, and the one statement, “you made the work I did exciting,” all became a summary of the role I played for people.

I had allowed my emotions to come to life, which provided a wellspring of intuitive wisdom in navigating the company, the people, and the opportunities. As I changed, others around me did as well. Ultimately, through this experience, I found my motivation comes from LIVING LIFE LIKE IT MATTERS, BECAUSE IT DOES.