How to Feel Inspired When Youve Lost Career Motivation

How to Feel Inspired When Youve Lost Career Motivation Garfield hates Mondays. He has no real reason to feel that way, though. He is a cat, and cats don’t go to work. However, it is true that many people hate Mondays because they do have to go to work, and would rather not. The days when you jumped up on Monday mornings, eager to prove your worth at work and climb that corporate ladder, or make that killer deal is long gone. You have lost your career motivation, and all you want is for it to be Friday afternoon again. This loss means more than career limbo. It means you are using up a precious eight hours or so of each day of your life doing something that ultimately has no meaning. Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan said, “What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” Even if you make a lot of money in your job, it will not make it any less a waste. While this may be your reality right now, you can change things around. Take control of your work life, find some meaning in it, and feel inspired again. Here are some ways to achieve this. Career Motivation Tip #1: Count your blessings It’s true this is a cliché, but that’s because it’s true. One of the main causes of the loss of motivation at work is the inability to appreciate what you have. Actress and talk show host Oprah Winfrey observed, “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” You see this all the time. Someone rich and/or famous commits suicide, and you wonder why they would do that when they seem to have everything going for them. Many people lose their motivation at work because they feel they are not accomplishing anything worthwhile. Perhaps you have not achieved the position you aimed for or the money you wanted to have at this point, but you are sure to have something for which to be grateful. Instead of focusing on what you have yet to achieve, focus on your accomplishments. Take stock of your life and dwell on the good things. It can make you feel better about yourself and hopeful about your future, put that extra spring in your step. Career Motivation Tip #2: Take action You may have suffered some disappointments in your career that has caused you to lose your drive. You feel no control over your life, so you simply give up. Once you are in a rut, it is harder to get out of it the longer you stay. You get comfortable and you see no point in doing anything about it. You can regain control of your career in two ways. You can quit your job, or you can work harder to get what you want. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Your course of action may cause a disruption in your life, but at least you will be going somewhere rather than staying put. When you take action, you break out of your rut and feeling of helplessness. Your life will again have purpose and direction. Leonardo da Vinci said, “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.” Fictional Star Wars character and wise guru Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Career Motivation Tip #3: Face your fears Fear can also cause you to freeze in place. You are unable to go forward or back, because you are afraid of making a mistake, or not being up to the challenge. Your fears may be well founded or groundless. Whatever it is, the only way to overcome your fears is to name them and face them. Author Richard Norton said, “To escape fear, you have to go through it, not around.” Naming your fears and facing them gives you power over it Novelist Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” You do have the choice of letting you fears control you, or using it to become a better at what you do. Career Motivation Tip #4: Focus on the work Boredom is an efficient motivation killer, and it can happen to anyone. It can make what used to be exciting a chore. If boredom is your enemy, then you can change things around by taking on new challenges. Go for skills training. Ask for more responsibility. Apply for a different position. Do something that will make your work more interesting. No one else can do it for you. Shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis said, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” Career Motivation Tip #5: Find something else It is hard to scratch up inspiration when you truly hate what you do. The only way around that is to change careers. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” It will not be easy to change jobs, especially if you have been doing it for so long. However, the change might be the best thing you can do. Tony Robbins said, Ive come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. You can find inspiration by doing something you like or about which you feel passionate. BestEssays writer Marjorie Hunt said, “I love what I do, which is why I always strive for perfection for each piece I do.” Career Motivation Takeaway You can feel inspired again no matter the cause of your motivation loss. The important thing is to realize that you have a choice. You can regain your motivation and zest for your work if you put your mind to it. About the Author Paige Donahue is an editor and blogger from Pennsylvania. She approaches her surroundings with a flexible logic, always looking for practical solutions to the problems at hand. You can connect with her via Twitter and Google+