The art of awareness: how to rediscover your motivation (in work and life)

Having filed away this dutiful premise, we can turn to exercises, to activities of reflection, observation and (self) listening that, without the pride of being resolved, tickle and activate our inner dialogue.

I present here one, with a very practical slant, that I have been using for years with satisfaction in my coaching courses. It is a four-step exercise that helps to reconnect with one's internal drivers, those fundamental drives for one's own self-motivation, the true motor of our actions and choices.

1. (Re)connect to your motivational drivers.

The first step in this exercise is to reflect on past experiences to identify moments when you felt fully centred and aligned with yourself. Ask yourself these questions:

- When was the last time you felt fully satisfied, in your work or private life?

- At what times did you feel a sense of completeness, feeling fully aligned with your values?

- What are the situations in which you felt full of energy and motivation?

Give yourself some quality time to reflect. For some it will be immediate to reconnect with those moments, for others it will take longer. When you feel ready, take a few minutes to write down your answers. There is no need for a perfect analysis: the important thing is to capture the recurring feelings and patterns. This reflection is essential, because often, overwhelmed by routine and daily noise, we lose sight of what really nourishes us and makes us feel good.

2. Identify your top drivers

Now that you have collected concrete examples, analyse them and try to identify the key themes that emerge. What elements do the situations in which you felt fulfilled have in common? They can be values, specific activities, work or personal contexts.

Looking at those moments with the right detachment, which helps to better define their contours, which drivers were present?

Identify and select the main ones, three or four, for example. All those that you consider essential for your well-being and fulfilment. Drivers can include aspects such as creativity, autonomy, recognition, continuous learning, a sense of belonging, professional growth or work-life balance. Each person has their own, so it is important to be honest and not be influenced by what 'should' be relevant according to others.

For example, a colleague I hold in high esteem has the 'stage' as his driver. For him, motivation comes from having the spotlight on him, a space - real or metaphorical - in which to perform, be visible and put on a show. In contrast, back-office activities or projects that keep him behind the scenes lower his energy, motivation and satisfaction. Many of us, on the other hand, do not have this driver and find no stimulus in being the centre of attention.

To really understand the importance of a driver, you can turn point one of the exercise on its head: think of times when you have felt particularly unmotivated, tired and low energy. What drivers were missing in those situations?

I well recall, for example, the case of a coachee who, upon changing organisation, realised the importance of the autonomy driver only when, for reasons of context and role, she could no longer express it as before.

In the next article, we will share the last two steps of the exercise. In the meantime, we invite you to reflect on your motivational drivers and observe how they align with your daily actions.

*Consultant Newton Spa