I’m not the kind of person that just likes to sit around. When I do sit back during my free time I’m always thinking or writing or engaged in something that perhaps is a bit of a distraction like playing a podcast or watching a TV show. I’m always doing something else at the same time as another activity. They say that you cannot multi-takes but I may be out to prove that theory wrong. I think I have an inner drive; that is, I have something that motivates me and pushes me.
Today let’s explore this. I spend a lot of time driving in a car from place to place. My job requires that I go to places to network and connect with people but often that means putting plenty of miles in-between appointments. I try to maximize my time when I am in certain areas but I am usually in and out of my car often. You could say that I am literally driven by what I do. Last year I doubled my miles over the prior year! In addition, I exponentially gained in the number of people that I meet with face-to-face over the previous year.
The responsibilities that I carry are considerable less than what I had to do the previous year but nevertheless, I think that there something else that motivates me. Some might even say that there is something that drives me to do what I do.
What is it that drives you? What is it that get you up in the morning? Are you motivated or do you need to be motivated by some external force? Maybe it’s a boss who is constantly tracking your every activity. Maybe it’s the evaluation that is coming up and you want to make sure that you finish strong. Maybe it’s fear that is your motivator. We could call that the fear of failure or some other insecurity that is driving you. It could very well be something external as well as internal which is motivating you to act snd to do what you do.
I know for me I had to come to a place where I was able to identify my motivations. It was in my Calling & passion, coupled by my strengths, and realized by my opportunities. In order for me to gain an appreciation for what is driving me I has to look deep within. I have a lust for more than what I have. It is not just a selfish motivation but it is something that contributes to my motivation.
The Apostle Paul of the Bible was also driven. He was motivated. It was both a motivation that was internal as well as external. He wrote that he "presses on toward the mark of the high calling in Christ." (Philippians 3:12-14) Essentially he is saying that he is pressing forward toward something that he has yet to obtain. There is a internal motivator that is perhaps an experience that has changed his outlook or it is a part of his personality. We actually can see it prior to him coming to know Jesus Christ; he was a pretty driven individual but that drive was a very selfish motivation. He was seeking power and privilege and prestige. Prior to coming to know Jesus he would go around persecuting and killing the followers of Jesus and those of the newfound sect that was growing.
Clearly, after Paul came to know Jesus he was motivated by his apostolic call as well as a faith in Jesus Christ. The reason for his driven personality was because of his newfound faith. It changed his heart!
I think that my being busy is at the same time being driven. My wife used to say to me that I have the "hurried sickness". She would say that I was just having to be in a hurry or I just had to be busy. In face, she described it as a sickness because there seemed to be no cure. Psychiatrist would agree with her.
I think it probably does come down to the values that we hold and the interest that we have coupled with the opportunities that are developing. I know that in order to accomplish the objectives I have to exceed my goals in order to complete my mission. Are usually set the bar high in order to achieve more. Some have told me that I need to work smarter but I haven’t quite figured that out. I tend to work harder and I try to be as efficient as possible.
The issue may be in the values that we hold. From a spiritual standpoint we know that nothing ever done in her own power will last. We know that through our investing in things eternal will have an ever lasting results. If we put our mind on things above not on things seen but unseen, are driven us can take on a new meaning not just busywork. We know that our drive-ness is not for self but for others. We know that it is only what is done for eternity sake will ultimately last.
So, the next time that you are on one of your commute, during your drive time, consider the following questions:
Why should I do it?
What will last beyond self?
How well what I do make a difference in the life of another for eternity sake?
Will what I do really matter in 5-years or 100-years?
