Have you ever noticed how some projects seem to generate immediate energy, while others do exactly the opposite? The one kind you actually want to work on, and you have no problem staying fully engaged. For the other, though, you have to manufacture energy—you don’t really want to do it, there’s no excitement, and it’s all too easy to get distracted.
Of the two, ideally we would be spending a majority of our time on things that generate energy, not drain it. This doesn’t mean the work that energizes us is necessarily easy, or pain free, but rather that it provokes the passion and energy within us to engage it fully. There’s a huge difference between waking up with energy and excitement to tackle the work of the day, and needing to drag yourself out of bed, simply to go through the motions with no passion, energy, or heart.
Sometimes this difference can be due to the work itself and how it relates to how we’re wired—some kinds of work are just more enjoyable for some kinds of people. There’s also the potential that our attitude, perspective, and expectations are affecting how we interact with our work. Broadening our view of the work we’re doing, and how it fits into the larger picture of where we want to go, and who we want to become, can have a profound impact in how we engage it.
In the end, we all have work to do (whether it’s our job or not), and it’s in our best interest—and in the best interest of those we serve—that we’re engaged in things that we actually care about and are energized to do. Not only will the results be better, but we’ll have the motivation to keep pouring ourselves into the work, even in the times when it’s difficult.