A former manager used to say, “…tell me how someone gets paid and I will tell you how they will act.” No doubt that money is a big driver of behavior in the short-term - but I have become a firm believer that what motivates people over the long-term is something else. What really motivates ...more

A former manager used to say, “…tell me how someone gets paid and I will tell you how they will act.” No doubt that money is a big driver of behavior in the short-term - but I have become a firm believer that what motivates people over the long-term is something else. What really motivates people is purpose. Particularly passion-driven purpose. For me, purpose comes down to putting myself into a position to control my own journey and more importantly, influence my own outcomes. However, despite recognizing where I was headed, it wasn’t until I changed a different behavior that I began to make progress toward achieving that purpose. Specifically, it came down to accepting ownership of my actions and decisions. And while not every decision has worked out, recognizing the importance of personal accountability has entirely re-shaped my approach to new situations.less