This was a good impact for the Ted Talk.
My first take away was how much "Work that Matters" is important. I got that it was important on a big level, but even for such mundane meaningless tasks like building Lego's quickly for a small profit. I need to connect for myself the steps I'm taking in business to something that matters. Stephen with your piano writing Phil's affirmations and saying he wants to USE it gives you motivation to keep writing them.
In answer to Lydia's question I think it is more motivating when it is a bigger vision than self motivation. When it is affecting and improving others lives. Dave Ramsey's company is all about "Delivering Hope" and they hammer this in for their employee's. Everything they do is motivated and fueled by "Delivering Hope" to people. I think it's incredibly important to remind people how they are bringing meaning. As an employer, or Parent we need to do this for others obviously, but less obvious (and just as important) is as a co-worker, friend, and sibling.
Mom mentioned how being life giving is a core value recognizing and affirming the dish-washing person is apart of being life giving. I found it astounding the difference between the person who scanned the page being turned in and the person who didn't. Simply noticing had an impact.
Lots of times people around do not point this out for you and then I do think you can do it for yourself.
At the post office everyone felt like their job was meaningless, they hated the work, hated the bosses - just working for a paycheck until they could hopefully retire. But even amongst them I reminded myself:
1. I was there on purpose. earning a great paycheck to buy a house with cash.
2. I was there to supplement starting my own company, I was not stuck.
3. People receive very important sometimes life saving things in the mail. Contracts that have to get signed on time, medicine, and business deals that depend on the difference of a few hours of delivery time. Birthday cards etc. I was assisting people with their lives.
It was not easy keeping those things in front of me in such a negative environment but I could be very cheerful at work when I did.
To answer your question Stephen: Brown Button has what we call "WHY" Meetings every 2 months or so, where we read aloud the reviews our clients have left us on how we have impacted their lives. We read our mission statement and talk specifically about how arranging items in a house actually makes a big difference for someone. There are lots of little things we purposefully do but this is a significant thing we do because of this reason.
Another Take away for me was that a challenge is actually a key ingredient to happiness. Knowing that helps me to embrace the pain brought on by a Big Hairy Goal. Often times I am searching podcast and books for tips on how to do what I want to do without the challenging parts. While I do want to work smart not just hard, it is a good reminder that hard work actually is fulfilling.
Three Ways I see that we can use this to help with our goals:
1.) think thru your big hairy goal and isolate for yourself where it is meaningful (for others, and for yourself) Write out your "Why"
2.) think thru it again and think about what is the hardest spot, the most challenging task of your goal. Embrace that challenge and think about how awesome you will feel when you "Bake that cake"
3. find someone or something to affirm your job when you have completed that hardest task. Maybe you can post it on this board and share with everyone, Maybe you can see about going out to celebrate with someone. Maybe you will set up a "mini concert" to show off/share with everyone.
