Contradictory to what you might think, ‘whatever’s due next’ isn’t always the right answer.

When coaching executives, I often hear the phrase “putting out fires“. Some of my clients work in environments – or have mindsets – that feel like we’re lurching from one crisis to the next. While this gives a temporary sense of relief, the “quiet urgency” of other tasks gives us a shocker later in the week, and so we end up feeling overworked, exhausted and yet lack a feeling of accomplishment.

Sound familiar?

Think how terrible this is – I did all this work, and yet the burden of my pending workload robs from me my very peace of mind. What could be worse?

We can have a pretty long conversation about 'fires' and 'work culture' and how long term thinking trumps short term thinking every time.

 But really what we're talking about here is the necessity of structured thinking and organization/me balance to just get through the day per se. 

What can help is knowing the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation – and conversely between one’s goal and one’s mission.

Extrinsic motivation is the ‘pull’ of achievement – money, power, status, recognition. We do need this, because we have bills to pay and egoes to satisfy (however big or small). That said, this can only work on us so much and so often – beleaguered employees lose motivation quickly when faced with an existential crisis. That is exactly when the idea kicks in – “money isn’t everything”.

So when carrots and sticks – reward and punishment – don’t work on us, what do we need?

Intrinsic motivation is the ‘pull’ you experience from something that drives you on a personal level – not wanting to impress the ‘Joneses’ or make the big bucks, nor awards or ego. Just some kind of selfless end goal that is both terminal and ongoing (it has an end and yet reinvents itself) and most critically has a balming effect on you in hard moments.

I’m not doing this for the paycheck – I’m doing this for me. I’m doing this for those that depend on me.

Ultimately? We need both an objective and a mission.

An objective is the way in which you will make your money, and the practical ends you want to achieve.

So for example, the ‘objective’ for McDonalds is to make money by selling fast food. (Not going too well these days, unfortunately).

The mission is my affirmation of a higher goal – to help others, to fulfill a deep personal ‘bucket list’ item or big main principle of living.

So for example, the ‘mission’ for McDonalds would be to make people happy by eating tasty food (jury is out on the actual attainment of said mission).

Kidding aside, think about how you balance your intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, and your mission vs. your objective.

Bottom line – make your happiness the giving of happiness to others, and you’ll never go wrong!