What Drives You?

As I have started my career the thought of motivation has been on my mind. I think the best way to relate to someone is to figure out what drives them and make a connection. As I have learned over the years connecting with people is a great skill to have. Not only is it great to figure out what drives other people, but it is equally, if not more, important to learn what drives yourself.

What drives you to go to work every day? What makes you get out of bed to go to class? What makes you come straight home from work and work out every day? What makes you get up 15 minutes early to read the Bible? These are all questions that I try to answer for my self.

So many people are driven by different things.....money, success, grades, respect, fear, popularity. A lot of these words are thrown around in high school youth groups all over the country with negative connotation, but I don't always think they are always bad. For instance, one of the main reasons I get up and go to work is the pay check at the end of the week. Not to say that I don't enjoy my job and want to get better and learn more, but if there was no pay check I would spend 40+ hours just because I enjoy finance or air planes.....maybe some people would.

As I have evaluated what drives me, the book The Purpose Driven Life has given a whole new perspective to the thought. I still think it is okay to go to class to try and earn a great degree, or go to work and try to become successful.....but I don't think that is the end all answer. I believe that in doing these things you need to keep in mind what your purpose really is......maybe your purpose is to get a great job, so one day you have an employee on the brink of becoming a Christian and you can push them over the edge. Maybe you are supposed to earn some money so you can fund the proper organization. Maybe you are supposed to be in a position of power because you are a better influence on a group than the alternative.

So, I am still motivated by tons of different aspects of my life. I work out 3 hours a day days a week to get my perfect washboard stomach and pecks like the Greek gods (Ha!.....). I show up to work every day (usually with a good attitude) to try and learn as much as I can and be a great influence to those around me. All the while, it is important to keep in mind that none of this is important unless you try to fulfill your purpose from God.