Push through or give up? A simple framework to find the right motivation to work

In the fourth grade, I had a classmate named Tucker. He was the type of guy who didn’t believe schoolwork should get in the way of having a good time. Intelligent yet mischievous, Tucker always wore an oversized Tt-shirt and a huge grin, the corners of his mouth curled in sheer delight as he found various off-task ways to entertain himself during instructional time.

While others were pressed to complete assignments quickly, Tucker dawdled, putting off work until the last minute, sometimes unable to finish.

He stood in stark contrast to the fourth-grade version of me, who anxiously wanted to meet every goal.

“Get it done. Hit the target. Whatever it takes,” has always been my mantra. But as time marches on, I’m beginning to think that maybe Tucker was on to something. 

Now, don’t get me wrong:, I still stay up late, putting the final meticulous touches on projects with the best of them, but my internal motivation to overachieve for overachieving’s sake is waning. 

Tackling complex projects is hard. Staying focused long enough to finish them is even harder. Some days, it’s tempting to scroll my Instagram feed for a bit and figure out the rest later.

The Catch-22

The short-lived relief of putting things off saddles you with stress, and even guilt, about an undone project later. 

On the other hand, you can push through the discomfort and bask in the satisfaction of conquering a difficult task, but as exhilarating as that experience can be, without boundaries, it soon leads to burnout.

If you ever find yourself struggling to feel motivated at work or know others that do, you’re not alone. A Gallup study revealed that only 15% of employees worldwide feel motivated, or “engaged.” Such a lack of drive can lead to absenteeism and poor workplace retention. 

Awakening motivation

How do we awaken our internal motivations? First, in true Tucker fashion, give your brain a rest.

AI researcher Max Frenzel, PhD, writes, “Spending more time resting and less time actively engaged in work not only boosts creativity and happiness, it also makes the time spent on work more efficient.”

But let’s face it:, at work, we’re expected to, well, work. And once the vacation is over and the mental health break is through, we need to find approaches to the work itself that stimulate us.

Finding your secret key

I might be in the minority here, but I believe most of life’s problems can be solved with a good story, and finding the motivation to do great work is no exception. 

Marketers often use stories to get attention and influence behavior. They present us with a character that overcomes a problem we’re having or reaches a goal we want to achieve by using their product or service. 

As a professional corporate marketer myself for more than a decade, I’ve discovered that by tapping into the story of your work, you can shift behavior and identify critical next steps to move stagnant projects forward.

If you’ve ever been particularly unmotivated by a certain task, are struggling to get your team on the same page, or are just feeling stuck all around, use these storytelling fundamentals to get moving again.

Problem: For Cinderella, it was her intolerable stepmother. For the Avengers, it was Thanos’s obsession with those darn infinity stones. Every good story has a problem, and we encounter a ton of them trying to get things done at work. When you hit a roadblock, it’s important to clearly articulate the issues you are experiencing. Ask questions like:

What am I confused about? Pinpoint the specific aspects of the project or task that don’t seem clear.

What have I tried already that didn’t work? Documenting your activity and outlining what went wrong and why can help you course correct and brainstorm new approaches.

What am I feeling?  Stories always evoke emotion. Whether it’s joy, anger, sorrow, or delight, the reason stories are so effective is they make us feel something. When you think about a particular project you’re tackling at work, what do you feel and why? The answer may help uncover mental blocks that can propel you forward once removed.

Pursuit: Stories are built on the pursuit of a goal. Your work might be focused on the pursuit of raising profits, boosting impact, or building connections in some way. The key to getting inspired by these goals is:

Clarity 

Sometimes, our big overarching goals are too vague to induce action. Challenge yourself to identify and communicate the specifics of a project’s end goal before you start so that all parties are aligned from the get-go. 

Time 

Think: What activity can I complete in the next 15 minutes that will put me closer to my goal? Use these quick-win activities to build momentum, even if it’s just sending an email. 

Picture: Stories create powerful imagery in our minds that represent ideas. Breathe new life into your work by developing pictures that clearly signal your next steps. 

Find examples 

Other projects you’ve worked on can illustrate the output you’re after. 

Seek input

Colleagues who’ve tackled similar projects can help you create a list of action items based on their insights.

Get creative

Look outside of your company or industry to get inspired by how others have met similar goals. 

You might not always feel like working, but as you dig into the story behind the work, mixed with some rest and recreation now and then, fresh motivation awaits.

Kelly D. Parker is a consultant who works with brand leaders to turn followers into devoted fans through the power of storytelling using her proprietary method, the 4 Ps of brand storytelling.