A lot of people believe that "money is motivation" and as long as money is involved, they will be motivated but not always. After reading this article, I think you will see what I mean.
It is important to find what motivates you; this might change as you grow, move up the career ladder or when you are faced with some challenges in life like burnout or depression e.t.c.
Curiosity is motivation
When you explore and satisfy your curiosity, your brain releases dopamine (as a reward) into your body which makes you very happy and sometimes it gives you goosebumps, and as long as you are happy, the reward increases which means that you will satisfy your curiosity again to give your brain what it wants (more satisfaction and feelings of happiness)
We've all been here before, and it is obvious that when you are curious, you are unstoppable. You become obsessed with the object of your curiosity as it constantly preoccupies or intrudes on your mind.
This is a good starting point for people between the ages of 14yrs and 25yrs who have just begun their careers. This is mostly because at this stage you have little or no distractions, you are more focused on things you can achieve and how you can achieve them. In this phase, you can lay your hands on different things, get your hands dirty and not get distracted because you are most likely dependent on people and no one depends on you for money and shelter.
When I was studying Computer Science, I pursued my learning from a place of passion having little knowledge of how lucrative the tech industry is. I appeared to have no life because I was so interested in what I could accomplish with Computer Science. I explored various aspects of Computer Science like Networking, Web Design, and Programming. I was convinced about what I wanted to do with my life. My love for programming propelled me to purchase my first Computer for myself having gone months of reading and writing codes on paper while waiting for a promise of a Computer from my Parents which never materialized.
Money is motivation
It's funny that we are back here right? I am happy to announce to you that money is motivation. After all, 60% - 80% of our day-to-day activities are all about money. If you have a lot of responsibilities that require money then you can channel this energy to learning anything you want to learn.
Being broke can really motivate you because if you need to "put food on your table" then you will have to develop a skill and ensure that the skill is sufficient to put food on your table. I know a lot of people that learn to write code because they were broke and needed to improve their earnings. If this works for you, feel free to allow this factor to propel you into more productivity.
Determination is motivation
If you really want something you never had, then you must be ready to do things that you have never done - "Thomas Jefferson"
Generally, when you put in your best effort coupled with the right mindset into a task, the chances of achieving that task increase astronomically. Don't misunderstand this by thinking that you will surely get everything right. Rather, understand that you can achieve whatever you determine to achieve.
Most of my friends in tech didn't study Computer Science but they were determined to join the tech space and they got what they wanted. I have a friend who studied chemistry and he is currently working as a Frontend Engineer with a company in Europe just because he was determined to learn web development.
Back then in Andela BootCamp, I have friends whose only and last option was learning software engineering, I mean it was all or nothing for them and with their determination, they got what they wanted without any computer science degree or prior programming experience.
Friends are motivation
The type of friends you keep can add a lot of value to you so it is important to keep friends that your ideas and thought align. In tech, it is important to have friends that challenge you because the industry evolves really fast.
If you spend a lot of time with someone, then there is a possibility that you start using some of their "trigger words". For example, if you have a friend that likes to say "actually", the probability of you using the words "actually" when you talk is really high. This is because the company we keep unconsciously affects us.
So if you are in tech or plan to join the tech space, I will strongly advise that you have a lot of friends in tech that keep you abreast of trending technologies.
When you have friends that trust you and believe in your skills and know that your ideas align with theirs then there is a possibility of them recommending you to join their current or previous company. Personally, I have gotten several jobs and side projects based on recommendations.
Conclusion
Different things motivate different people so it is important to find what motivates you so that you can easily channel your energy towards the right thing.
Latest comments (2)
Really loved this article. I had a retrospective and discovering what motivates me was such a game changer. I decided I’m motivated by a lot of things at various moments in time but in all, motivated toward the same goal. Self discovery is always invigorating.
Overall, it's clear that motivation comes from various sources and it's important to find what works for you. Whether it's curiosity, money, determination or friends, each of these can drive you to achieve your goals and succeed in the tech industry. As someone new to tech, I'm motivated to continue exploring and learning more about the field, and I'm excited to see where my passion and determination will take me. Thanks Olu.