Adrenaline vs. Fulfillment. Which is driving your work?

One is externally driven to feed the internal and is short-lived, the other is intrinsically internal and longer lasting. 

After years of consolidating his power, reaching for the next challenge, side stepping colleagues, and taking matters into his own hands, Bruce was let go from a major company in a very senior role. He would often tell me how much he loved the job, the challenge, the competition, and the game. I believed him.

I also knew his pace and hours were simply not sustainable, either for his own health or for the damage he was doing to his direct reports and the division at large. Because he was able to produce results for a time, his abusive behavior – demeaning his workers, constantly suggesting no one could work as hard, and self-promotion – was overlooked. Not surprisingly, the backlash was severe and immediate. Despite this, I knew Bruce was inherently a nice person. He just fell victim to the ongoing pressure and demands we all face at work.

Bruce’s behavior demonstrates an epidemic that pervades workplaces today. He exemplifies the adrenaline junkie who looks for the next conquest, always seeking to fill a void, but who is never really satisfied. Not only do these types of people suffer, but their behavior as leaders disproportionately impact those they lead. 

Adrenaline vs. Fulfillment

Inherently, we all know the difference between adrenaline and fulfillment. Yet we often confuse the two, especially given the nature of our round-the-clock lives where sleep is still abysmally underutilized and getting stuff done is prized as a marker of our value or self-worth. 

Since it is the time of year where we tend to be more reflective individually and within our teams, it's worth considering these questions:

1. How much energy do you spend in your personal and professional life?
2. How much time and attention do you spend on ensuring you maintain and sustain that energy?

If the answers go like 1) a lot, 110% or similar, and 2) very little, then it's likely your core energy source is adrenaline. If your answer is 1) a lot, 110% or similar, and 2) considerable or similar, then it's much more likely your core energy source is fulfillment. 

Now, here's why it matters to you, those you love, and to your future. Think of adrenaline like fool's gold. It speeds us up, resulting in a heightened sense of import and urgency, even when there is no basis for that reactivity. Adrenaline junkies chase the goal itself, which is what leaves them looking for the next dose, in this case, the notion of what's next and what else can be conquered or achieved. It can feel good, but it doesn't really make us feel good about ourselves. The reality is that adrenaline is a toxic hormone, and when it swims in your system at high levels for too long, it's responsible for a host of health conditions that range from poor immunity, impaired sleep, stress-related disorders, and the #1 killer of men and women: cardiovascular disease.

Fulfillment, on the other hand, is the antidote to adrenaline. It's marked by a sense of satisfaction, joy, and confidence, emotions that are at a premium in a survival-zone based culture that will try to eke out every bit of you at almost every turn. Fulfillment can come from goal-based achievement, which is why it's often confused with the dopamine rush from adrenaline. But those who feel fulfilled derive happiness from progress.  And fulfillment leads to better health outcomes: heart rates are lower, reactivity is diminished, a sense of calm can ward off even the most challenging circumstances, and gratitude is often a filter that shapes ongoing optimism and confidence.

Next Steps

So, this year, instead of just setting goals for achievement, either individually or with your team, consider how you want to get that work done. What should it look like? Can it be productive AND satisfying? Ask yourself honestly, what will be required to get your work done? How will you contribute to company goals that ask you to achieve even more, bigger, and faster in 2020? And, will it be worth it to you? In other words, in about 350 days, will you be happy you made that choice?

I have yet to have a conversation with any leader who reflects positively on achievements that came at the expense of their health and their most important relationships. Of course, business goals are important, but if you find that your people are running on adrenaline and do not have a roadmap for fulfillment, you and they are being denied their greatest sense of self, contribution, meaning, and connection. Without fulfillment, there will no longer be a good record of goal attainment. Instead, what will result are related increases in absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover, which will be significant obstacles to achieving your goals. 

Wishing you a 2020 filled with success, prosperity, achievement, and FULFILLMENT.