Drive

by  Doug Wysockey-Johnson

Daniel Pink has a new business book called Drive:  The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.  The book is well written and the research and examples are fascinating.  That said, the ‘surprising truth’ isn’t all that surprising—it is meaning and purpose that motivate us.  He ends the book with this sentence:  “…we know that the richest experiences in our lives aren’t when we’re clamoring for validation from others, but when we’re listening to our own voice—doing something that matters, doing it well, and doing it in the service of a cause larger than ourselves.”


Money and acknowledgement are important to a point, but that point is probably less important than we thought. Using our time and energy on the things that matter to us, and making the world a better place—that is what motivates us. It sounds an awful lot like listening for call to me.


This past Sunday I cried my way through the memorial service for my good friend Susan.  Listening to the eulogies, and rummaging through my own memories, a clear picture emerged of Susan.  Here was a woman who was motivated by her own values and her faith.  In her work, relationships, and volunteer activities, Susan’s “drive” was to use her gifts and experiences for the good of others. (She also loved her week at the spa, nice dinners, and a good show on Broadway.  She would cringe at being turned into a saint.)


How about you?  What drives you?