Drive Beats Motivation
Image by Natalia Blauth via Unsplash+
Drive and Motivation both contribute to success but are very different. Motivation is a temporary state linked to mood and external circumstance. Motivation is a helpful catalyst for action, but it's not something we can depend on because it comes and goes.
DRIVE on the other hand is propulsion itself, that moves us to act despite obstacles, and independent of motivation or lack thereof. Drive imparts us to show up and persist, to do our jobs and push through discomfort and all the reasons why X will never work.
Motivation helps, particularly Intrinsic Motivation, but Drive beats both and can be developed & strengthened over time. Drive isn't a tactic or a hack, and it's not a means to an end; It’s an engine to build and way of life to be cultivated. It's great to be motivated, but consistent forward motion depends on DRIVE.
How To Strengthen Drive
1. Know Your Wants and Whys.
What do you bottom-line really want in life? More autonomy? More time to exercise? Closer relationships? Less busy-work? And why do you want what you’ve named? By reflecting on what you value, you can determine what drives you at a deeper level.
2. Set clear goals.
What will you accomplish the next 30 days? What steps will you take this week to reach your 30-day goals? Specify the day and time that you’ll execute three actions this week, actions that align with your 30-day goals. Dabble beyond your comfort zone - that’s where growth happens.
3. Create Routines and Practices.
Schedules curb decision-fatigue, and help us create habits. Once formed, our positive habits contribute to both motivation and drive.
4. Show Up Independent of Mood.
Show up and do what’s is to be done when it’s time. Even if you engage for just 5-minutes on the thing you should be doing, you will have moved a needle forward ever so slightly. Nurture a growth mindset, which means embracing challenges, persisting through setbacks and focusing fervently on continuous learning and self-improvement.
5. Put Accountability in Place
There’s no substitute for telling someone you’ll complete an action by a particular date, and confirming that you did. Find a mentor or hire a Coach to help set and achieve goals, and then hold you accountable. Build a team, a circle of people and services that support you in your work and endeavors.
Again - Drive isn’t a hack or a tactic. It’s a capacity to be developed and way of life. We can consistently achieve with health and relationships intact by showing up and doing our work independent of circumstance or mood, thereby tapping into drive. It’s time to take the reins and drive your days. Enjoy cultivating drive in yourself, and watch the benefits flow.