What motivates you?

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    Brett Farmiloe

    what motivates you

    What motivates you in life?

    From the fear of failing to realizing potential, here are answers to the question, "What's one thing that motivates you?"

    • The Ability to Design My Own Life and Create.
    • It’s More Than Working Hard
    • A Desire to Make a Difference
    • Meeting Deadlines
    • Free Time
    • Helping Others is a Huge Motivator
    • Seeing that I Make An Impact
    • Feeling of Accomplishment
    • The Fear of Failing My Staff, Who Gave Me their Lives
    • New Challenges
    • The Power of Regret
    • The Trust of My Team
    • I'm Motivated by Success
    • Exercise Motivates Me
    • Customer Care
    • Overcoming Challenges
    • Building Things
    • Personal Growth is An Incredible Motivator
    • My Actions Today Will Dictate My Future.

    The Ability to Design My Own Life and Create.

    I am motivated knowing that I have the freedom to own my own business and create something I am proud of, and I have built a community of loyal customers I can connect with and learn from. The opportunity to innovate and make something of my own motivates me. I get to be the designer and creator of my life and my business as an entrepreneur. I am constantly challenged and forced to take on new challenges, which keeps things interesting.

    Ann McFerran
    Ann McFerranCEO, Glamnetic

    It’s More Than Working Hard

    I’ve always been driven and determined to reach my goals. Even as a child, I was constantly pushing myself to do better in school and sports and as an adult. To always work towards self-improvement, both personally and professionally. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re running your own business but staying focused on the tasks will ensure achieving goals. This determination helped me succeed no matter what was decided in my life.

    Liza Kirsh
    Liza KirshChief Marketing Officer, DYMAPAK

    A Desire to Make a Difference

    One thing that motivates me is the desire to make a difference. I want to reflect on my life and know that I positively impacted the world. This motivation comes from a deep-seated belief that everyone has the potential to make a difference. We all have something unique to offer, and we can make the world a better place using our talents and abilities. This desire to make a difference has led me to volunteer for various causes and organizations. I have worked with children in need, the elderly, and the homeless. I have also been active in environmental causes, such as planting trees and cleaning up local parks. These experiences have been enriching and reinforced my belief that even small actions can make a big difference.

    Bill Lyons
    Bill LyonsCEO, Griffin Funding

    Meeting Deadlines

    The desire to meet a deadline is a major motivator for me, both professionally and personally. I always hate being late, which is a major push for me to do whatever it takes to meet deadlines. Being late or having to push tasks further down the road often means disappointing others and my team. It is highly motivating for me to complete something on time, as well as to always be there for others when they need me. It is also such a great feeling to complete something you have worked really hard on, and I strive to get that feeling as often as I can.

    Shaun Connell
    Shaun ConnellFounder and CEO, Writing Tips Institute

    Free Time

    As a time-poor business of one, there's nothing sweeter than a day off work or extra time to work on things I'm passionate about. The prospect of getting some breathing room or enjoying a break motivates me to work harder, faster, and with greater purpose. I'm particularly motivated by being able to create extra free time out of time that I usually spend working. Just knowing that the end of the work day or the weekend is coming is enough to help me power through my workload and prepare to turn work off.

    Allison BradyFashion model, Click Models Philadelphia

    Helping Others is a Huge Motivator

    Being able to help others is what motivated me to begin my business and still motivates me each day. That begins with my employees. Helping them to have secure employment where they can continue to grow their skills is important to me and pushes me to improve my business. Most of all though, it is our customers who motivate me. As a startup who created an application to help those suffering from addiction, seeing them struggle and find success with our platform is the true motivator. Sharing the feedback and results from our users also continues to motivate our employees. They are able to see the impact of our product on the lives of real people. Together we are making a difference.

    Chandler  Rogers
    Chandler RogersCEO, Relay

    Seeing that I Make An Impact

    There are few better motivators than seeing in real-world situations that your actions have made a positive impact. If you work hard and find that your services are not just appreciated but are helping others excel, then it's a really great feeling to have at the end of a long day. In the end, knowing that you've made someone's work experience even 10% better can motivate you to reach further, and set even bigger goals for yourself in the future.

    Lilian Chen
    Lilian ChenCo-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Bar None Games

    Feeling of Accomplishment

    For me, it's the feeling of accomplishment that comes with delivering a successful result. When I can look back on a project and reflect on how far we've come and what we've achieved, it's incredibly satisfying. It motivates me to continue pushing myself to do even better next time. Seeing our hard work pay off is one of the best feelings in the world! That's why I always strive to be the best at what I do – so that when success is achieved, there's no doubt that I've done my part to contribute. It keeps me motivated and excited about coming to work each day.

    Joe Giranda
    Joe GirandaDirector of Sales & Marketing, CFR Classic

    The Fear of Failing My Staff, Who Gave Me their Lives

    As an entrepreneur, every day I show up to work and see the fire in my staff's eyes, I vow to myself never to fail these fantastic people.As a shameless perfectionist, I demand extraordinarily high performance levels from my staff. If the company fails after such extreme commitment from my staff, I would be more than inhuman as the leader.Therefore, in the many times when I am mentally depleted, in the many times when the company is in a storm, and it is so easy to give up, I tell myself my staff has trusted me with their lives.How dare I fail them? How dare I give up? So I fight back, show up, and be more accountable to the people I lead.

    Lotus  Felix
    Lotus FelixCEO, Lotusbrains Studio

    New Challenges

    Tackling a new challenge provides the opportunity to start fresh and employ new ideas. Nothing is more motivating than a blank canvas and the abundance of possibilities to fill that canvas. Whenever we are presented with a new challenge or project, the opportunities are endless of how we may accomplish that. Rather than getting mired down in what some may see as endless possibilities, it can be inspirational. At this stage, there are no wrong ideas. Capturing all the ways to tackle the challenge can be motivating in itself. Then, selecting the path forward and watching the project or issue be resolved is extremely rewarding. Even if the end-result is less than desired, the process has taught us much and laid the groundwork for our next challenge.

    Caroline Duggan
    Caroline DugganChief Brand Officer, Lumineux

    The Power of Regret

    The thing that keeps me motivated to accomplish whether it is related to my work or hobby with the same enthusiasm and passion is the feeling of not feeling regret. If I wake up one day and look at my remembrances and memories, my achievements, my goals and my to-do list and feel regret and contrition over the shifts would have been if I worked that way, the advancement I would have if I have worked a little hard and having regret inside you feels dreadful to me. Even if I failed in the end, this sensation of making an effort would cease any perception of regret. In my opinion, stuff like self-discipline and goal-setting is not going to keep you motivated. Only by having a sensation of attainment would keep you motivated.

    Joshua Tibando
    Joshua TibandoContent & PR Manager, Findstoragefast

    The Trust of My Team

    On days when I feel my motivation running low, I usually turn to my team for support. More often than not, they pick up the weight when I am unable to and this in itself is something that factors into my motivation levels. Simply noticing their enthusiasm and effort puts me back in the zone and I’m truly grateful for this dynamic we share.

    Larissa Pickens
    Larissa PickensCo-Founder, Worksion

    I'm Motivated by Success

    I'm motivated by success. I think back to the little girl I used to be and how big her dreams were. She wanted to excel in her role and keep climbing up the corporate ladder as far as she could. In today's present day, I'm motivated by the success of our company and it keeps pushing me to continue. There are no limits and it's exciting to keep moving forward.

    Randee  Machina
    Randee Machina Director of Marketing, Simpli Pleasures

    Exercise Motivates Me

    One thing that helps to motivate me greatly is exercise. I notice a huge difference from week to week depending on how little or how much exercise I am able to get. I try to keep a well rounded balance of getting outside and moving my body rigorously, which helps me to relieve stress, and also getting some good stretching and breath work in as well. The stretching and breath work makes my body feel so much more at ease, and it also helps me focus. During weeks when I am too rushed or less motivated to do these activities, I find myself irritable and unproductive. In conclusion, exercise gives me the motivation I need to get my work and responsibilities done on a daily basis.

    Cayla Gao
    Cayla GaoPublic Relations Manager, Depology

    Customer Care

    The satisfaction of our customers after years of sales and service motivates us greatly. Our team members work hard to connect the customer to the perfect product for them, and they have the ability to care for their customers like true individuals. We carefully curate both our products and our teams in order to deliver the best product and offer the best experience to our customer, which is hugely motivating for us over the course of decades of business.

    Nabiha Akhtar
    Nabiha AkhtarCEO/Founder, Lil Deenies

    Overcoming Challenges

    The desire to overcome any challenges motivates me. You often face different challenges in life, and you must stay motivated to swiftly pass through these hurdles. Challenges are a big motivator. You make goals to navigate through tough times. The journey to overcome challenges proves to be a learning curve. First, stop discouraging yourself in tough times and quickly move forward. Overcoming challenges motivates you to become a strong person both in your personal and professional life.

    Cody Jensen
    Cody JensenCEO & Founder, Searchbloom

    Building Things

    For me, motivation comes from the satisfaction of building something. When I see a project through from start to finish, it's like filling in a piece of the puzzle. Every completed task is another step towards the final goal, and that sense of progress is what keeps me going. Of course, there are always setbacks along the way. But for me, the reward of completing a project is worth the effort. Whether it's a DIY project around the house or a work assignment, I get a thrill out of putting my skills to use and coming up with creative solutions. Building things may not be everyone's cup of tea. But for me, it's what motivates me to keep going, even when the going gets tough.

    Derek Bruce, Senior Director, Skills Training Group

    Personal Growth is An Incredible Motivator

    Personal growth motivates me the most as an entrepreneur. As I've taken time to make personal growth a habit in my career, I've been able to dig deeper and reach meaningful solutions to any challenge I face. By setting and maintaining growth-focused goals I have strengthened my self-control, making it easier to build new habits that make it easier for me to achieve my short and long-term goals. By taking the time to develop my personal resilience, I have experienced countless accomplishments within my career and improved my overall satisfaction within my field of work.

    Joshua Frachtman
    Joshua FrachtmanPartner, Zimmerman & Frachtman Personal Injury Attorneys

    My Actions Today Will Dictate My Future.

    Every day, I am motivated by the knowledge that my actions today will directly impact my future. This is especially true when it comes to my relationship with others. I want to do the right thing, and I'm motivated by my own sense of right and wrong. I also care about other people and want to help them whenever possible. This simple act of goodwill can create a positive feedback loop that benefits everyone involved. Similarly, I also try to avoid negative interactions, as they can lead to resentment and bad feeling down the road. By being positive and constructive, I am motivated by the knowledge that I am helping to create a bright future for myself and those around me.

    Nick  Lines
    Nick LinesDirector, Internal Doors

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