THE SUBTLE ART OF GIVING A DAMN
If you are going to lead, you are going to have to find the motivation to give a damn.
And right now, that’s hard.
Leaders do the hard thinking and reflecting about which direction to go, where to put the focus and energy, and what the team goals are.
Leaders provide a framework for people, and that framework provides comfort to those within it.
Making the difficult decisions and driving a team towards the goals
takes a tremendous amount of energy and motivation.
Mark Manson’s wildly popular book “THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK” has over 140,000 reviews on Amazon.
It’s about not caring about the little things that don’t matter.
Our challenge today is the opposite.
It’s about giving a damn when you really aren’t feeling it.
It’s about finding that intrinsic motivation that lives within you.
It’s about pursuing your north star and providing direction when you’d really rather take a seat.
To lead, you must step into the role of a leader.
Put on the costume and make up and get on the stage.
In a recent post, I talked about the concept of HONNE AND TATEMAE.
Honne refers to one’s true feelings and desires, while Tatemae represents the public facade or role that one presents outwardly.
In leadership, this duality is not about deception
but about the necessary adaptation of one’s self to fulfill the role of a leader.
When you aren’t feeling it, here’s how to stay motivated:
1. Reconnect with your Vision: Remind yourself of the goal and why you do what you do.
2. Support and Feedback: Engage with your peers, mentors, or coaches who can provide a fresh perspective, encouragement, and valuable feedback.
3. Take a Break: Sometimes, simply stepping away for a short period can help. This might involve taking a vacation, spending time on a hobby, or just getting some rest.
4. Set Small, Achievable Goals: When your motivation is low, setting and achieving small goals can help build momentum. Small wins can lead to a sense of accomplishment and boost motivation to tackle larger challenges.
5. Reflect on Past Successes: Look back at previous successes — you wouldn’t be where you are today without them. Reflecting will remind you that have overcome challenges before and can do so again.
If you are feeling unmotivated as a leader
like there is a mountain of work in front of you to accomplish your goals
connect with the people, ideas and things that give you energy.
Tap into the intrinsic motivation and drive that brought you to where you are today.
The goals that you have set for yourself and your team are worth pursuing.
Sometimes as leaders we just have to remind ourselves how to give a damn.
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