#9 – External motivators: the (dog) bird-cow dynamic!
I have been meaning to write another article or two for a little while. In fact, I had in mind it would be pretty easy and quick to write a short technical article on CRS and trusts, also considering that institutions and governments have just completed a reporting round and also refer to the latest instruction on privacy of international private clients visited by the “Pandora papers”. But…the truth is that every time I sat down to write the article I struggled with a real lack of motivation. Writing a factual article about something I know well should be easy, but it bored me. So, it might take a little while for that article to appear, and if it does, I might need to combine it with something to make it more interesting to write, and hopefully also read.
So, today, dear reader, something a little different. As I mentioned above, sometimes life isn’t full of motivating and interesting tasks and events. Indeed, on a day when everything on my desk (or in my inbox) at work seemed less motivating than the last, I went for a lunchtime run with the dog, a very energetic Australian Shepherd who is awesome company to run with. Taking an active break at lunchtime tends to lift my spirits and more so when I have the dog with me and that particular day was no different.
Whilst we were out, I noticed something I probably already knew but hadn’t really paid attention to, which was that she tends to run faster when there are birds in sight ahead, noticeably slower when there are cows near our path in front of us (she’s scared of then), and somewhat faster when they’re behind us. It made me think about how we humans are sometimes influenced by external motivation factors too, and whilst these have potential to be a really positive force, perhaps we need to be mindful about recognising and balancing these.
Chasing Birds
For the dog, the birds represent a fun distraction but prompt her to forget what she’s supposed to be doing (running in the same direction as me) and just go with the moment. What do the birds mean to me?
Out of an abundance of caution (and political correctness), let’s just get one thing out of the way – whilst I am a British guy of a certain age, “chasing birds” in this article isn’t intended to mean what it meant in my youth. Pursuing the fairer sex may be very distracting for some, but that’s not what I mean here! I accept no responsibility for what you’re thinking about…
Perhaps my idea of “chasing birds” is also best described as a fun detour on an otherwise dull day, perhaps a reward after meeting a goal or finishing a task. Either way, “birds” (the fun and entertaining things in life) can be a fun motivator to get us through the day, especially when we feel like we’re wading through treacle.
I have to be a little careful to keep things in perspective when “birds” cross my path. It would be a shame to ignore them and trudge on, but it’s important not be too easily distracted chasing the birds. In my dog’s case I still have to keep her on course so she doesn’t drag me through the fields. In my case I’m old enough to know I have to be mindful about how I position “birds” to get the maximum value out of them (otherwise I just feel bad that I’ve been distracted, and still have the same things to do, and they’re even less fun after a nice diversion, when the “to do list” is just as long as before).
The fun things in life are great to keep us going when life is tough. I think we need them. I wish life could be just made of the fun things, but that doesn’t pay the rent or keep us motivated to grow in the long term. They can make for a fun break from reality sometimes though, and used wisely, can be a really great motivator to push us through the “less fun” tasks and times when we have something great to look forward to.
Managing the Cows
Where the birds are the carefree fun and sometimes trivial things in life, I think the human equivalent to my dog’s cows, certainly for me, are the things that we’re perhaps a little daunted by or afraid of. It doesn’t necessarily have to be bad – sometimes we need to stretch ourselves by challenging ourselves to do something new or difficult in order to grow and figure out what we’re capable of.
Conflict is a clear “cow” for me – I hate it, and I’ll avoid it as long as I can, and when I can’t avoid it any more, I’ll confront it, and I know I can handle it, and things will be clearer afterwards. That doesn’t make me relish it any more though.
Likewise, the way I feel before starting a challenging run is equally good at making me procrastinate. I know I can do it, but I’m still hesitant and perhaps a little scared before I head out. Afterwards I’m always happy I’ve done it, but there’s always this trepidation beforehand. Difficult conversations and speaking to groups are the same. Deep down, I know it’ll all be fine in the end, and worthwhile, but it doesn’t stop me having that reflexive deceleration beforehand.
Does the fear stop me? No. It just helps me understand that whatever I’m facing is something I should face with the appropriate preparation and respect, but the hesitation still motivates me because it focuses the mind. Next weekend I will be running a marathon. My third. I’m a little daunted, to be honest, but I would never just decide not to do it because it’s too scary. Maybe I need to challenge myself to prove what I’m capable of, but it’s not just that. I know that afterwards I’ll be feeling great (if a little broken), no matter what time I run, and, like the dog, I’ll feel a little lighter when I have it behind me!
Whether it’s public speaking, a difficult conversation or a marathon, these are things I strive on, enjoy, and grow through. It’s just a different motivator than the purely fun and carefree feeling of “chasing birds”.
Finding the Balance
Sometimes life just runs itself for us. We’re “in the groove”. Sometimes it feels like time has passed in a blink of an eye and the time has filled itself in a fun and productive way without really having to think about it. In case you’re wondering, finding a solution for interesting and challenging client cases is neither a cow nor a bird (or “motivation gap” territory) – that’s just it’s own reward! At these times we probably don’t even notice or need our cows or birds.
However, life also gives us those other times, when the seconds turn to hours and we need to look outside ourselves to figure out what best keeps us going. These are the times I’m going to start looking actively for birds and cows…
We humans are complex beings, each with his or her own drivers, complexes, pleasures and fears, but we all need a little extra motivation sometimes. Perhaps the trickiest thing can be to identify the birds and the cows and figure out the right balance for how we’re feeling on a particular day, or week, or year. I’m still figuring that out for myself. However, I’ve noticed that, unless I’m working flat out on interesting projects (either at work or outside), I need something to look forward to, or challenge me so I can stay motivated. Running’s one of them, but I think the list should be a little longer than that to be useful!
Sometimes there are no birds and no cows…then life is can be a little tedious. Then it’s on us to find our own motivation, rather than using what’s around us to keep us going. That’s harder – it needs a little imagination but I’m working on a list for when I’m next feeling a little stuck.
Writing frivolous articles is also on the “bird” list…😊
How do you keep motivated?
Thanks for reading!
– Phil G
Thank you, next please!
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