Motivation: How do you maintain a high level?

Well the title says it all.

From time to time, my motivation always flags without doubt. A main issue i have always found as a key issue is boredom at work. This always has a rolling effect on me and can cause de- motivation and a lack of interest.

How do you guys maintain a high level of motivation to perform well in your work and study life?

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Comments

Essendon

As far as study goes, my motivation is the desire to know more than my peers at work. I want to be the go-to man for anything to do with backups and ESXi. I want my manager to be like - hey mate, can you assist with this please. If someone walks upto my manager asking for a resource, I want him to send them my way. If there is a complex project, I want to be the first person whose name the manager calls out. This does it for me.

I think boredom comes from being too comfortable, meaning there isnt much to challenge you. At that point, you've outgrown your position and it's time to look for other gigs. We are all human, boredom and de-motivation will happen. Maybe a break/holiday is an answer. Do gardening/basket-weaving/landscaping or similar stuff to do something other than stare at the computer. I love gardening and tend to the garden often, it's great.

Another source of great motivation is this forum. There are numerous members who I'd like to emulate.

dave330i

Not high minded like Essendon. I just want more money.

DevilWAH

I found a hobby, just happens the hobby is Networking.

But I am not motivated by networking 100% of the time, some times I will study for 6+ hours a night for weeks on end, other times I leave work at work and spend my evenings on other things.

If you are pressurizing your self in to study and learning, then you are likely not really learning, just remembering the information. A parrot can recite Shakespeare but that does not mean it can write a new play. To be good at any thing you have to really enjoy it and be interested in it, with out this it is hard to branch out and get the interesting roles.

I don't press myself to develop, or try to study when I don't feel like it. I just look back over the last 5 years and see how far I have come, and I don't want that momentum to slow down. In 2 to 3 years time I want to be in the position to move on from my current role (not that I will, just nice to have the option), but I don't want to move sideways but upwards. I know what that requires so that's where i set my goals.

I didn't get in to networking til my late 20's , and set a goal to be managing networks by the time I was in my mid 30's, Well I achieved that, so the next goal is by the time I am 40 to be managing a network team, running a large global network. Just go to keep that in the back of my mind and it keeps me focused.

networker050184

dave330i wrote: »

Not high minded like Essendon. I just want more money.

In the end it all comes down to this. I know that I have to keep going to be or stay at the level I want to be at.

paul78

My strongest motivation is driven by my desire to make sure that I can provide a comfortable lifestyle for my family.

pcgizzmo

Adderall

demonfurbie

caffeine, 5 hr engery and the fact i dont wanna do what im doing much longer

DevilWAH

That's another thing that keeps me going, I don't ever want to be doing a job I don't like or am bored with. I have been lucky in that I have always been in the position to look at get a new job, while still enjoying the current one. It's a nice position to be in to pick and chose your next role, while still happy with the one you already have.

One other thing that keeps me motivated is looking at my joined date on here.. Back then I was still answering the help desk phone.

the_Grinch

I've been vastly under motivated the past year or so. I equate it to having no sense of direction. I went to school for security not realizing that with little experience it would be tough to break into the field. Thus I've been helpdesk/deskside support for the past three years and it just doesn't seem like there's a way out. But my plan is to start ramping up and getting my head into the books. Really want to get the ball rolling again on the Python Scripting Expert and maybe that will open some doors. Plus I think I wouldn't mind working in a developer capacity, so I have something to work towards!

lsud00d

@the_Grinch, I see you are/were a Basic...I was too, what made you stop?

the_Grinch

At some point I thought maybe I'd make a career change, but saw that Paramedics in my area weren't making what I made. Plus the other issue was the fact that there was no way to work it into my schedule. Even the part time evening programs in my area required day time clinicals which would mean zapping vacation and sick time (along with work actually allowing that time off). I did really want to become a Paramedic, but just wasn't in the cards.

nel

Essendon wrote: »

As far as study goes, my motivation is the desire to know more than my peers at work. I want to be the go-to man for anything to do with backups and ESXi. I want my manager to be like - hey mate, can you assist with this please. If someone walks upto my manager asking for a resource, I want him to send them my way. If there is a complex project, I want to be the first person whose name the manager calls out. This does it for me.

I think boredom comes from being too comfortable, meaning there isnt much to challenge you. At that point, you've outgrown your position and it's time to look for other gigs. We are all human, boredom and de-motivation will happen. Maybe a break/holiday is an answer. Do gardening/basket-weaving/landscaping or similar stuff to do something other than stare at the computer. I love gardening and tend to the garden often, it's great.

Another source of great motivation is this forum. There are numerous members who I'd like to emulate.

I very much agree with this and many of the comments made. I love networking, the challenges it provides and the opportunities it can bring. My biggest issue is the lack of challenges in my current role. On paper, its a good role but in reality it can vary so so much.

I have to admit, reading posts on the forums help massively too. its great to see the people around here advancing so much.

rsutton

My motivation is to make my team, and my company the best in the world. This keeps me fueled 90+ percent of the time.

ally_uk

For me Motivation is having ambition and drive to achieve your goals. I have this mentality that everyday is a opportunity to better yourself. To Make amends for any previous mistakes or f**k ups.

The hardest thing to do is the initial change alot of people will bite off more then they can chew and try to undertake to much at once, This used to be my mistake instead of building up a foundation and good understanding of the basics I would dive into manuals designed for gurus and the end result would be a massive headache and would feel disheartened and upset with myself for failing to grasp concepts.

Now my passion is Linux it has been for a while right now i'm a bit of a wizard in the command line, This was achieved by breaking everything down into minimal chunks. Taking commands one by one and understanding what they do, how they are used and the various switches, I need build upon these concepts and document to further cement my understanding.

So For Linux my example goals would be the following.

* How to install / Partition Scheme / File system layout / File Navigation Commands / Text Editiors i.e Vim, Nano
How to configure Hostname / Network Config / Package Management i.e how to update packages / Run Levels
/ Piping commands / Sed, Awk, Grep / Permissions / Users And Groups / Package Manager, Update System
/ SSH + VNC / hardware configuration i.e IRQ's, DMA's, /var.

So the above is small goals I set myself and have achieved everything was broken down into smaller chunks, I hit the books and command line every evening for about two hours and tinker. Once completed I then do the relaxation that is my reward.

Fitness wise I run on average 12 miles a week. When I go to work I take my running gear so again the mentality comes into play, Do I walk home and take a hour or should I run get fitter, do it quicker. Sure there are times where I get outside and think f**k this I can't be bothered but then the positive thinking kicks in sounds daft but I think to myself if I don't do this then someone else out there is getting leaner then me and I can't have that. This approach spurs me on.

Everyone has potential and inner drive and is capable of achieving great things, Changes wont happen overnight you wont wake up the next day and become a genius or a marathon runner it takes dedication and commitment and a he who dares wins approach.

The question is do you want to be sat installing operating systems for the rest of your life, Answering calls and telling some numpty on the phone that the reason there pc wont power on is because it's not plugged in.

I certainly don't that's why I am bettering myself

W Stewart

What's motivated me so far was the desire to move up the IT latter and actually be in a role where I was valued for my skills. That and being able to make a decent living which I'm sure we all want. I'd say if your bored, either try to learn something during downtime or try to see what you can do to improve the way the company runs. If you can't study and you're employers won't give you more responsibilities or allow you to continue growing in general as a professional then consider looking elsewhere but talk with your employer first about anything extra that you may be able to do.

W Stewart

DevilWAH wrote: »

One other thing that keeps me motivated is looking at my joined date on here.. Back then I was still answering the help desk phone.

If I could give that a thumbs up I would. Nothing is more motivating then looking back and seeing where you used to be. A year ago I was working at a call center answering phones and doing tech support for Dell and being sent home early with less pay when the call volume got too low. Now I'm a Jr Admin supporting Linux and Windows servers at a webhosting company because I knew if I sat still, I would end up like some of the other people in the call center who had been there for 5 years. I've got a year and a half of experience right now and if I had listened to my girlfriend and stayed at Dell for a year or two, I would still be struggling to pay bills with a kid to take care of. Sometimes you just got to know when to keep moving.

NightShade1

What work you do?

At least i find that being an Network admin would be kind of boring doing the same always.... and if you want to do something new... then the managers wont let you...

IF you work for a services integrator like i do(installing security solutions, wireless solutions etc etc to the clients), you always have something new to learn, and you can actuallly apply what you learn, so its never boring...

Just my 2 cents