Coach Kip

I have just recently discovered an interesting thing about myself. At Christmas break I announced to the school that I will not be returning after this semester. I resigned my coaching position and informed the administrators that they will need to find a new Algebra teacher. It was a relief, it was exhilarating, and it was scary all th the same time. It was a big step toward achieving my goals, and that is working from home and being a stay at home dad (no I don’t have kids yet but we are practicing a lot).

Here is the interesting thing. I was worried about me not focusing on my students and getting them to pass the end of the year test. The last year I had the highest scores and it is very important to me to stay that way. By resigning I was afraid that it would not be as important to me as in the past. Kind of like when the commentators talk about a lame duck coach who has just one year left on a contract.

Now I am even more motivated and excited to do well on the tests. My goals have become higher and I am more motivated to achieve. So where does the motivation come from?

Some people are motivated internally. They have a drive and goals that matter only to them. To them it is personal. It is something that they have to achieve just to achieve. Awards, accolades, and money are not relevant.

Some people are motivated externally. They have a drive and goals that are motivated by fame, fortune, and awards. It is the result that matters more. That is what is important to them.

So which is better? It depends what you want. I have found that I am more motivated by things that are important to me. Being the best teacher in school comes with no awards, and no rewards. I don’t get a plaque or a raise. So why is it important to me? Ego? In some cases that may be it. Not me. To me it is being my best.

If you want a big house, a fast car, and more money than you can spend then being externally motivated may be right for you. But how do you get there? To be externally motivated that desire must be an absolute burning desire. It must be so large and so important that you cannot live without it. If that desire is not that strong then maybe you need to look at something else.

Did you ever wonder why you want something so bad but you have a hard time motivating yourself to do something about it? Maybe you don’t really want that thing. Maybe you are focusing on the wrong thing.

So if it is important to you to be your best, to do your best, and be the best of whatever it is that you are doing it is far more important to be internally motivated. The reward comes from the hard work and the accomplishment. The reward is the feeling you get from a job well done and accomplishment. Do these include riches, and nice cars? Well usually not immediately but the rewards will come. Keep working, keep achieving and you will get your rewards in the end. And it will feel so much better!

Conceive It, Achieve It, Believe It

Coach kip

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