What motivates you? Elon Musk’s achievements? New technologies? People you love?
Have you noticed that motivation alone is not enough and it always passes?
Motivation is a powerful source of energy but it’s only a starter. A mathematician will say that this is only one part of the equation. A chemist will say that this is a catalyst but not the reaction itself.
Did we miss something along the way? Let’s suppose for a second it’s actually a multi-layer process but what’s on the upper level then?
It’s drive. I love the definition: “an innate, biologically determined urge to attain a goal or satisfy a need.” It’s a simple and powerful word.
In many articles, these terms are interchangeable which it’s not a complete truth.
If you ask yourself: “What drives me?” — you will probably get a different answer than if you ask “What motivates me?”.
Elon Musk could motivate you to do something, that’s true. But ask yourself if are you passionate about the following:
To solve problems using first principles, pattern recognition, quantum thinking. The last one means keeping several contradicting ideas in your head at the same time and analyze it.
To go through all rejections and fails, “eating glass and staring into the abyss.” as Elon’s friend noticed.
If you are, just follow this drive. If not, then maybe helping to teach people is what drives you? Maybe, it’s working with communities? Maybe, it’s creating something and staying mostly anonymous like billionaire Charlie Munger, a business partner of Warren Buffett?
The Drive contains two things:
First, it’s very clear understanding why you do what you do. It could be anything.
Maybe, you want to prove that you can do something? Maybe, it’s that kind of anger when you feel that you didn’t have any opportunities when you were younger or that you missed opportunities because of what people around you said?
It could be even the hunger (not physical) because you’re an immigrant or poor. In that case, you feel the drive to have opportunities and execute on them that other people take for granted.
Second, it’s bigger goal separated to smaller measurable steps. It could be creating financial freedom for your family by starting selling 1 simple product online. How about starting running 1 mile per day? Maybe it’s all about creating your personal brand to replace your current job in the future by creating 1 video per day?
Motivation can ignite your fire but the drive is what keeps you moving forward. Ask yourself and try to identify what drives you and what motivates you and use both at the same time.
That way you will be unstoppable because you will use everything to get what you want to achieve.
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