My first official day in the Fall semester, and already it’s feels like a “Dog Eat Dog” world and I’m wearing milkbone underwear. I noticed that my instructors like to use the words, “Not gonna happen” and “what did you expect?”. Looking around at my classmates, I’m surrounded by a sea of ultra-competitive A-type business people trying to vie for the excellent grades. We’re all there for one purpose – to get an education so we can make the big bucks.
One of my professors asked us to do an assignment regarding our personal motivations to succeed and to perform. Briefly thinking about it, there are a few things that motivate me: my wife, my faith, my duty to my family and friends… but at a more basic level, perhaps there are a few more things that have a big role in motivating me to perform well…
My fear of failure
My fear of ridicule or being laughed out
My my desire to be number one and be the best
My fear of being poor in the future…
What a shocking list… I’m primarily motivated by fear at first glance. It’s worked for me to a certain extent… but has it also been holding me back? I remember there was a time in my life where I feared little… I had confidence in what I was doing and that I will succeed. Somehow, I need to get that confidence back so I am motivated by my own steps, not by fear. If I do that, I know that I can do so much more.