Why motivation matters...
Hillarie Kay
I Help High Achieving Business Owners, Corporate Executives and Teams Reduce Burnout and Increase Performance with Heart-Centered Strategy.
I woke up yesterday morning and could barely move—my legs were pure jello. Why? Well, Monday I did a 30-minute workout with my 6th grader, and let me tell you, keeping up with him was no joke.
But let’s rewind a bit. Why was I working out with my 6th grader in the first place? He’s training to improve his fitness for club soccer, hoping to secure a spot on his high school varsity team as a freshman, and eventually, he has his sights set on Clemson University. His goals are ambitious, but he’s ready to put in the work.
Now you’re probably wondering, “Hillarie, that explains why he was working out… but why were you?”
Good question. I wasn’t training for soccer, obviously, but I was there to help him reach his goals. I wanted to connect with him, show him that I’m the mom he needs right now, and, deep down, I didn’t want to fail at this whole parenting thing.
Same action—working out—but entirely different motivations.
It got me thinking: how often does this happen at work? We’re all “doing” the same things, going after the same outcomes, but the reasons behind why we do them are uniquely our own. One person might be chasing career advancement, another might be driven by security, while someone else just wants to keep the peace.
Once we understand the “why” behind people’s actions, it changes everything. It opens up space for empathy, clarity, and a better sense of connection with those around us.
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Imagine a team working on a project. The end goal is shared, but the individual motivations can vary—one person might be eager to impress leadership, another might be focused on innovation, and someone else could be driven by a desire to collaborate and strengthen team bonds. Without recognizing those differences, tensions can happen, but with awareness? It creates flow.
So, I encourage you to pause and ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" And maybe even ask the people around you too. You might be surprised at what you discover.
Here’s to better connections and stronger teams.
Cheers to Growth!
Hillarie Kay
P.S.? Need some help strengthening connection within your team?? Let’s schedule a time to talk to see how Heart-Centered Strategy can take your team to the next level.? You can book a call here.