what motivates me?

I was asked this question during an interview and I got a little tongue-tied. I wanted to use the old answer,”People around me.” but somehow, I don’t think that’s really that accurate anymore.

I think many factors motivates me. Here’s a small list (rank almost according to importance).

1. Internal motivation.

I’m an introvert (surprise, surprise!). Motivation comes from within. I am my own best cheerleader. But sometimes, I get tired. That’s when….

2. People around me.

When I am tired or when I am running a little low on raa-raa oil, the people around motivates me. As long as someone has a positivity around me, I can keep on going. Of course, optimum scenario is when people around me are always happy and when internal motivation is on full blast *thumbs up*

3. Challenges/Learning

I think this is something new. Something I realised about myself from my previous job. When there’s challenges, I will be motivated to overcome it. Or when I am learning.

Come to think of it. The reason why I wanted to leave my Korean class was because it was starting to get stale. I wasn’t learning much/anything new. I started to get discouraged. But when lessons suddenly improved again, I am motivated again.

Am I making sense?

4. Everything else

Feedback: Don’t need to be direct feedback or positive feedback. But some form of feedback would be nice.

Good deeds: One good deed deserves another. I don’t know how to explain this. But yes.

Junk food: Ohhh. I have consumed so much of them when I needed to keep going. Yums! Forbidden food is always the best!

So yup! I think that’s about it (: 

Just because they are free.

I have a pet peeve.

I really don’t like it when people ask an intern/admin assistant/colleague-of-lower-rank to do something just because they are free. When it would have been faster if they have done it themselves.

I mean…yes. maybe helping you to do those stuff is what the intern/admin assistant/colleague-of-lower-rank is supposed to do.

BUT! If it’s just ONE thing. ONE thing. Isn’t it faster fand more efficient for you to do it yourself?

If you ask the intern/admin assistant/colleague-of-lower-rank, you have to go to them, instruct them, walk back to your desk, do something else, get distracted when they are done and double check. WAH. Alot of unnecessary steps yes?

Okay. If it’s like a bunch of stuff and you are really busy, then ok. Get them to help you. But if it’s just one thing and you need it rather quickly, just adopt the Nike attitude.

UNLESS the intern/admin assistant/colleague is supposed to learn how to do that particular stuff. Then okay. UNLESS you are really swamped and don’t need the stuff urgently.

Otherwise…asking them to do it just because they are free don’t make sense. Heh.

I have always practiced this “rule”. Maybe that’s why I am (more often than not) viewed as being “efficient”. Then again, I have also been viewed as “selfish” cos I am keeping all the “credit” myself. Sigh.

What about you? Do you practice this as well?