This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons #2 collection, is part of the Championship Principles series and focuses on motivation – "put your heart in your work." It explains motivation as an inner drive, describes how self-motivated competitors who can start their own engine ignite the fire of the whole team, and challenges athletes to consider whether their level of motivation raises or lowers the team's level.
Put Your Heart in Your Work
Motivation is defined as a force that propels people into action. It is a "motive to act", an inner drive. The ultimate goal is to get people to do all they are capable of and to enjoy it. The best competitors can literally start their own engine. Teams that are consistently motivated have high expectations and standards. The clearer the mission and focus are within the team, the easier it is for team members to be motivated toward a united purpose. High morale magnifies all the positives that a team experiences. Teams will seldom exceed the shared expectations or level of motivation of the group.