When there is no consequence for poor work ethic, and no reward for good work ethic, there is no motivation.

Does that quote ring true for you? If it does, do you find yourself frustrated? At work? At home? With other people in general?

At first glance, that quote sounds great, doesn’t it? It feels right. It feels righteous. It feels like justice. And all of those “good” feelings…the fact that this quote evokes those good feelings…that’s why you’re frustrated.

If motivation hinges on what other people do (or don’t do), then you’re allowing yourself to be manipulated by those people. You’re giving away your tremendous power. You’re exchanging it for the feeling of, “I’m right.”

Motivation is two things – “motive” and “activation.” Motive is the Why of something. Activation is the Activity, the doing. Motivation is your Why in Action.

So what’s your Why? And are you willing to trade your Why…that stuff that makes you uniquely you…the reason you exist…your created purpose…because you perceive a situation to have a wrong interpretation of “work ethic?”…because of what someone else is (or isn’t) doing?

Are you going to follow that quote and exchange everything you are…your Why…for the arrogance of “I’m right?”

If you are (or if you have), I get it. I’ve been there…and I’ve done that before. Here’s what I’ve come to realize over the years…

Nobody else is worth my Why.

From time to time, I encounter places where there is no consequence for poor work ethic and no reward for good worth ethic. And when I engage them, those places do not enjoy the magnificent benefits of my motivation for very long. When their preference for ambivalence becomes clear, I don’t surrender my motivation…I focus my motivation elsewhere.

I am absolutely motivated. And, I refuse to let someone else control my Why. My Why…my motive…is the core of who I am. And I’m not willing to give that over to anyone else.

For me, where there is no consequence for poor work ethic, and no reward for good work ethic…there’s still plenty of motivation. What there isn’t is my willingness to leverage my fabulous, magnificent, awe-inspiring motivation toward their benefit.

How about you? Where are you giving up control over your Why…your motive…your destiny? And…do you want to change that?