Who or What is Impacting your Why?

You are in a professional development session and are you asked to answer the following question: Why are you here? Before having a chance to put together your elevator speech response, you are given the instruction that your answer can only be given in three words. You have one minute to respond. What three words would you use to tell your "Why" as a teacher, educator, leader, staff member, creative, or administrator. Having any trouble?

While you ponder the three words you would use, take a look at the following quotes:

"Our prayers are answered not when we are given what we ask, but when we are challenged to be what we can be" Morris Adler

"The highest levels of performance come to people who are centered, intuitive, creative, and reflective- people who know to see a problem as an opportunity. "

Deepak Chopra

"The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life. If you don't, life controls you." Tony Robbins

"There's a difference between interest and commitment, when you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient; when you're committed to something, you accept no excuse, only results. Ken Blanchard

"If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." Stephen Covey

If you went past your one minute that's okay, but hopefully the assignment and quotes energized you to begin thinking about your level of motivation. Are you motivated to challenge yourself to be the best version of you? Do you motivate yourself to use obstacles or successes as your fuel? Is your motivation based on your level of interest or your level of commitment? Have you been motivated by something you would die for? Are you motivated by accomplishing your priorities? Regardless of your responses, many of you would agree that staying motivated can be very difficult.

No matter the career or job there will be a time when one might say "Do I want to or should I get out of bed today or not." As educators, teachers, leaders, advocates, community stakeholders and parents we are all charged with the task of holding the mirror of accountability to our faces and taking an honest look at what we are not doing or should be doing to benefit our schools, students, children, and communities. The motivational framework we use to approach our tasks must be anchored in relationship building, cultural sensitivity, and an equity awareness that helps all recognize and embrace our authenticity. How does one stay motivated and true to our authentic selves in the face of overwhelming challenges? Critical to recognizing and appreciating one's authentic and motivated self is an ability to share one's concerns with their peers, co-workers, and leaders. However, one must understand and be prepared to accept not everyone will share or even validate your concerns, that's okay.

From the perspective of a teacher, educational leader or staff member, I want you think about how motivated you were at the beginning of the school year in relation to now. Have you noticed any difference? What changed or didn't change. Is anyone listening to your concerns? The impacts of the school year often play out differently for teachers and staff depending on their experiences, but one common task and question that we all must tackle, or answer is How do we maintain the passion of our "Why"?

Are you motivated by your Why?

I'm sure that you have experienced a number of peaks and valleys so far this school year that has sometimes made you question or doubt yourself, your career choice or your "Why." This is the time of year veteran teachers often ponder early retirement or doing something else, while the younger or less experienced teachers are happy just to keep their heads above water. Additionally, school leaders and administrators begin looking at possible personnel changes or additions for next school year. In the midst of these fluctuations and uncertainties, rumors of school leadership shifts or changes also add to everyone's doubts and frustrations.

It is during these types of environments that one sometimes begins to reflect on or question their own motivation. If this sounds like you or someone you know, try this Self-passion and Mission check:

1.Does one still have that same fire to teach, lead or create? Why or Why not?

2.What goal or mission have you completed or are still trying to complete?

3.Is it worth it? Have you made the necessary sacrifices to improve yourself?

4. Did you pick your field or career, or did it pick you?

5. When was the last time you performed self-care that strengthened your mindset? What did you do?

6. Who's a part of your motivational support group or team?

Most of you should be able to answer all of these questions. If you did, great. But if you didn't, it only means you have more work to do in building, understanding,and using your motivational frameworks and networks. While there is no one sure way to teach people how to stay motivated or how to motivate themselves there is a commonality of steps that we all must make at some point if we are true to ourselves. Motivated people are usually goal oriented, have good attitudes, embrace success, not afraid to offer new ideas, seek opportunities to demonstrate how they can perform and are comfortable supporting and helping others. While ideally these characteristics are good indicators of a motivated person, they may not appeal or suit everyone, and certainly doesn't mean that someone who doesn't have these traits or doesn't openly demonstrate them are any less motivated. Motivation consists of a personal state of being that starts internally but is often judged by one's external actions and responses. Most of us are familiar with the phrase "going through the motions." One, at least on the outside, is demonstrating that little effort or thought is being put into an action or process one is performing or one is doing just enough to fool a casual observer. Unfortunately, many of the current problems facing our schools and its students can be traced back to a lack of motivation by individuals in leadership positions "going through the motions" as well as the systems that don't hold them accountable. However, one cannot use the inabilities of your leader or leaders as an excuse not to perform your best. Self-Motivation abilities are probably the most important, overlooked and untested trait in any field, particularly the field of Education.

• Taking a closer look at the Self-Passion and Mission Check questions above, one should focus on questions #5 When was the last time you performed self-care that strengthened your mindset? What did you do? and question #6 Who's a part of your motivational support group or team? These two questions are critical foundations that will at some point lead one to a natural examination and investigation of the other questions. For example, performing self-care can simply be finding a place on campus to meditate without interruptions from any outside forces. Associating with other teachers or staff members who embrace motivational techniques and opportunities is a great way to build your motivational support group or team. Prayer groups or exercise groups are popular motivational and relationship builders on many campuses.

"If you believe you can do it, you have self-efficacy. If you believe it will work, you have response efficacy—belief that the action you are taking will lead to the outcome you want. And if you believe it is worth it, you have weighed the cost against the consequences and decided the consequences outweigh the cost." (www.positivepsychology.com - Scott Geller, 2016).

There must be an effort to build a community within the school or organization that provides a support system and motivational pathway for those individuals who need a connection and positive relationship driven environment that allows encouragement, engagement, and motivation for all who need it. One's peers and leaders should provide a sounding board and knowledge base that confirms and uplifts all.

Motivation by Accident

Have you ever been shopping at a grocery store or walking through a mall and one of your younger students recognizes you or the student is with their mom or dad, shouts your name, and comes over to you to say hello. While the student often seems surprised or shocked that you do the same things other humans do, this becomes a rewarding experience for you and the student. You walk away feeling good that the student was happy to show their parent or parents that you have a positive relationship with the student. This sometimes offers you and the student an opportunity to see each other in a different light, especially if the student happens to be one of your more challenging behavior issues in class. This chance encounter may open the door for more of a relational connection with the student that could then lead to more of a motivational influence.

Establishing a positive relationship with a student and their parents is key to staying motivated as a teacher or school leader. While no matter what you say or do will not, please some parents, keeping positive communication lines open with the student will help that student and you stay motivated.