Let me tell you something I wish more young leaders understood early, and that is you’re not always going to feel like doing what you’ve been called to do.
I know that doesn’t sound very inspirational but stay with me. There will be days when you wake up excited about your future and you’ll have a myriad of ideas running through your mind, energy to spare, and confidence that you can accomplish just about anything.
Although nothing dramatic may have happened, the reality is life, and the responsibilities thereof has just simply left you tired and worn out both physically and emotionally.
The excitement isn’t there, while progress is waning and feels slow and he thing you were so passionate about a few weeks ago suddenly feels like work.
That’s when you begin to learn the difference between motivation and purpose.
Motivation gets you started, but it takes an understanding of purpose to keep you going. As you grow and mature you will learn a lesson from life, which is, you can’t build your life around how you feel
One of the things experiences teach you is that feelings make terrible leaders. Feelings are real, and you shouldn’t ignore them, but you also shouldn’t give them the authority to make decisions for you.
If you only work when you feel motivated, you’ll be inconsistent and go broke in the process. If you only lead when you feel confident, you’ll eventually stop leading. If you only pursue your dream when everything seems to be working, you probably won’t pursue it very long.
That’s why I want you to learn to ask yourself a better question. Instead of always asking, “Do I feel like doing this?” Learn to ask, “Why does this matter?” That question will take you much farther.
Find the Why Beneath Your Why
Suppose you tell me that you want to start a business. I might ask you, “Why?” Your response may be, “Because I want to make more money.” There’s nothing wrong with that but I may then ask you another follow-up question, why?
Maybe you say, “Because I want financial freedom.” So, I ask again. “Why is financial freedom important to you?”
Now you begin talking about your family and you tell me you want to create opportunities for your children that you didn’t have. You want the freedom to help your parents. You want to employ people. You want to make a difference in your community.
Now we’re getting somewhere. Did you catch it, the business is the “what”. The deeper reason is the why.
The point is, when the business becomes difficult, and it will, you’re going to need something stronger than, “I wanted to make some money.” You’re going to need purpose.
Don’t Mistake Difficulty for a Wrong Decision
Young leaders and seasoned leaders alike sometimes assume that if something becomes difficult, they must be doing the wrong thing. Not necessarily. Sometimes it’s difficult because you’re growing and you’re learning something you’ve never had to learn before.
Sometimes it’s difficult because the version of you who started the journey isn’t yet the version of you required to finish it.
I’ve learned that purpose doesn’t remove difficulty from your life. It gives the difficulty context. When you know why something matters, you’re willing to endure some things that you would otherwise walk away from.
Progress Happens Where Nobody Can See It
Here’s another lesson I want you to remember; not all progress is visible. We live in a world that likes numbers, followers, revenue, attendance, views, sales, and growth, and there’s nothing wrong with measuring results. As a good leader you must pay attention to results but don’t make the mistake of believing that nothing is happening simply because you can’t see immediate evidence of it.
Before you ever see fruit hanging from the branches of a tree, something has been happening underground. The roots have been developing.
Sometimes life works the same way. You may be learning patience, developing discipline, and becoming more emotionally mature.
You may be learning how to work with difficult people or discovering what you’re good at and what you’re not. You may even be learning how to recover from failure.
None of that looks impressive on social media, but all of it matters.
Eventually, Purpose Has to Become Discipline
Now let me push you a little further. Purpose cannot remain something you just talk about. Eventually, purpose must show up in your habits. If you tell me something is important to you, but you consistently give your time, energy, and attention to everything else, I’m going to question whether it’s really a priority.
That’s where discipline comes in. Three comes a point when mature people stop waiting to feel motivated. You get up because it needs to be done. Not because every day feels exciting, but because you’ve decided that your purpose is more important than your mood.
So, What Do You Do When Motivation Disappears?
First, don’t be surprised, because it happens to all of us.
You’re not going to wake up inspired every morning. You’re not always going to feel confident. Some seasons won’t be exciting at all but you can still be faithful. Go back to your why and remember who you’re becoming. Remember who is connected to what you’re building and then take the next step even if it’s a small one.
Motivation is wonderful when it shows up but don’t build your future around it. Build your life around something deeper. Remember, motivation can get you out of the starting blocks but purpose is what keeps you running when nobody is cheering.
One Last Question
Before you move on with your day, think about this: What are you pursuing right now that you would probably abandon if you depended on motivation alone? Then ask yourself, why does this really matter to me?
Sometimes the clarity you need to keep moving forward isn’t found in another inspirational message. Sometimes you simply need to remember why you started.
— Sherwood Wilson
