In my career, taking time for deep reflection has been pivotal in understanding my own drivers, especially during transitions or when feeling stagnant. I often guide clients through reflective exercises to uncover their career aspirations, using questions that probe deeper than surface-level desires, much like peeling back the layers of an onion.

Everything is just moving so fast that you barely get time to sit back, take a deep breath, and reflect on what you have just accomplished. Nothing is ever enough. We are always on the run to check off another task from the checklist. If you don't feel happy or satisfied with the task/job, is it really worth doing? Have we really become machines that we run just because we have been asked to run without any questions or thought? It's really time to take a step back and think about what really engaged you and made you happy and alive. Self-discovery isn't easy, but here are some ways you can tap into it: 1. Consider your values 2. Embrace your strengths 3. Do more things that you love 4. Listen to your guts

Introspection requires time. It’s not something you can do it in a hurry, or you will miss the most important details. One simple but effective exercise is to create a “line of live”, where you write down the most important events/hints that have marked your life positively, since you have memory (when you were at school, at secondary school…). And indicate as many details as possible: your strengths, your weaknesses (that can be strengths that have been used beyond the equilibrium, as looking for the quality that becomes into perfection), what you enjoyed doing, your values on each moment… Analyzing it deeply you can extract some patterns, ideas that can guide you in the future (things that you may want to do, or to avoid doing).

If you're struggling to identify your motivations, here are steps you can take to gain clarity: 1.Self-Reflection: Reflect on past experiences and moments of fulfillment. 2.Explore Your Interests: Make a list of activities and hobbies that interest you. 3.Identify Your Values: Reflect on your core values and beliefs. 4.Seek Feedback: Ask for input from friends, family, mentors, or colleagues. 5.Experiment and Try New Things: Be open to new experiences and opportunities. 6.Set Goals: Define meaningful goals that align with your values and interests. 7Pay Attention to Your Emotions: Notice feelings of excitement, engagement, or disinterest. Remember that identifying your motivations is an ongoing process and may require some trial and error.`

Reflexionar para descubrir tus motivaciones pasa por sentarte contigo mismo, coger papel y lápiz, y escribir las actividades con las que más disfrutas. Pensar en las ocasiones pasadas en las que te hayas sentido muy motivado o a gusto con lo que estabas haciendo. Al final, la autorreflexión es la que nos lleva a valorar en las cosas que hemos realizado y que más felices nos han hecho.

Saber cuales son tus valores es la palanca clave de autoconocimiento para alinearte con tus decisiones. Una buena manera de saber cuales son tus valores es recordar determinadas decisiones que hayas tenido que tomar a lo largo de tu vida y detectar qué valores fueron los más importantes para decantarte por realizar esas acciones.

Normally, doing things without being aligned with your values will make you feel empty or incomplete, like something is missed. You can create an initial list of 10 values (you can find easily a big one and take some from them) and reduce it progressively to 7, 5 and 3. The lower the number, the more complicated the election will be until you find the 2,3 or 4 ones that represent you the most. Those ones you are not you without them. If you are not 100% sure, try to think on how our life, how you would behave if they were not present on you. Later, reply to “what I’m doing (or I will do) this for?” as per your goals. Replying to it can trigger a list of values, that you can cross check with the previous one.

I firmly believe that we embody our values—they shape our speech and actions. Understanding this, I've found that exploring and identifying my core values is vital for grasping my motivations. Personally, I prioritize values like creativity, family, and independence. To ensure these are truly guiding my decisions, I periodically list them and reflect on their alignment with my life and goals. This exercise has been enlightening, particularly when I've felt disconnected from my motivations. By realigning my actions to these values, I've reignited my passion and found clearer direction. This practice might help anyone looking to understand their true drivers and live a more authentic life.

Start by making a broad list of values. This list can include anything that resonates with you, such as integrity, creativity, freedom, compassion, innovation, or security. Don’t censor yourself in this initial step; the goal is to explore a wide range of possibilities. Think about the most meaningful experiences in your life—times when you felt particularly fulfilled, proud, or engaged. What were the underlying values being honored in those moments? For instance, if you felt fulfilled when volunteering, values like service, compassion, or community might be significant to you.

Experiencing positive emotions, like joy, allows you to enter in a virtuous circle: the more you do, the better to do and then, the more you want to do. So, there is an intrinsic motivation into those positive emotions. Then, working on things that bring you joy will increase your motivation. The point is that joy, as other positive emotions, is quite ephemeral (negative ones are quite persistent), and then we need to work on experience them often.

Identifying your motivations might seem like an uphill task, but it's easier than you think! Here's a simple yet powerful tip: start by considering your joys. Joy is a strong indicator of what genuinely motivates and drives us. What activities or tasks light you up? What are the things you would do for free because you love doing them? These are your joys – the stepping stones to uncovering your true motivations. Your joys are a reflection of your passions and strengths. When recognized and leveraged, they can fuel your motivation, propel you towards your goals and lead to more fulfilling experiences. So, take a moment today to reflect on your joys. It might just be the start of an amazing journey of self-discovery and growth.

Start by creating a list of activities, experiences, and moments that bring you joy. Don’t limit yourself to big events; include small, everyday pleasures as well. This could range from reading a book, spending time in nature, engaging in creative pursuits, to meaningful conversations with friends. Look for patterns in the things that bring you joy. Do they involve helping others, creating something, solving problems, or learning new things? Identifying common themes can provide insights into your core motivations and what you value most in life.

Motivation often comes with Intrinsic Joy and Happiness. When you start involving yourself in something meaningful that you always wanted to do, so every time when you take an Initiative or do efforts towards Your goal it will also gives your inner joy and feeling of Fulfilment. As an example, I might put my perspective here in this opinion booth, because it gives me inner joy and happiness as my end goal is to receive or earn a badge from Linkedin or gain more followers. This example is the most clever way to explain how motivation and Joy are closely linked.

Our mind is not able to recognize what is real and what is product of our imagination. So let’s think on your goal, your purpose and let your imagination to do the rest. It must be an experience as vivid as possible, with all the possible details: be conscious about images and shapes; about dark and lights; levels of colors; but also smells, sounds and feelings. If during the visualization you feel something, analyze what emotions appear, where you feel them…And create “anchors” (images, sounds or smells) for you to remember the experience. After that you can ask yourself about actions to take: what I need to do to reach 3 months before that visualization, before 6 months…until what I need to do today to reach my goal.

Muchos de los líderes que más han aportado al mundo del trabajo visualizaron su futuro profesional como si ya lo hubieran conseguido. Aún sin financiación o experiencia en el negocio que querían construir. La visión futura de su objetivo fue el mapa mental que tuvieron para alcanzar sus metas, con tesón y trabajo duro, aunque nos parezca algo increíble. Así ha ocurrido en muchas ocasiones.

Begin by finding a quiet, comfortable space where you won't be interrupted. This process requires tranquility and concentration, so it's important to minimize distractions. Engage in a few minutes of deep breathing, meditation, or relaxation techniques to calm your mind and body. This helps prepare you for a deep and focused visualization session. Close your eyes and start to imagine your life in the future at a point when you feel completely fulfilled and happy. Visualize where you are, what you're doing, who you're with, and how you feel. Try to engage all your senses in this visualization—what you see, hear, smell, touch, and feel emotionally.

In order to stay motivated and focused on our goals, it is important to visualize the future we desire. By visualizing the future we desire, we can create a clear picture in our minds of what we want to achieve and why it is important to us. This visualization can serve as a constant reminder of our aspirations and provide the necessary drive to work towards them. Additionally, by visualizing our future success, we can cultivate a positive mindset and enhance our belief in our capabilities. Consequently, this positive mindset can help us overcome obstacles and setbacks along the way, ultimately leading us closer to our desired future.

El cambio es, casi, lo único permanente en la vida y eso afecta a las motivaciones también. Ya sea porque, a nivel de autoconocimiento, se produce una alteración de las circunstancias personales de la gente o se desarrollan áreas nuevas de mayor interés...por todo eso, entre otras cosas, pueden renovarse las motivaciones y producirse un cambio de paradigma.

Acknowledge that your motivations can evolve with time. Life is a journey of growth, and so are you. Embrace this natural progression instead of opposing it. If what once drove you no longer resonates, it's perfectly acceptable to pursue fresh sources of inspiration. Maintain an open mindset and be ready to delve into new interests and opportunities. Change has the potential to uncover motivations that were previously concealed.

It's okay to pivot. We only discover whether we enjoy something, or are good at something, or dislike something- BY DOING. It is in action that we discover the areas we need to work on, the areas that we are experienced in...and all the areas that are awaiting us to discover. Change is not bad. Don't be afraid of it, nor dont be afraid to fail. Fail forward. Shift. And continue forward.

"We all have the power to undo the skein of our lifes, but sometimes we need someone just to pull from the thread" - Platon. These few words can summarize what a Coach does and what you can expect. Many times we are so deep into the trouble, our skein is so dense, that we do not see our potential and the possibilities we have. In those cases, we need some help for us to look inside and find our own strengths and resources.

As an experienced coach, I often see people who come for guidance later than ideal. Many try to tackle challenges alone when seeking help earlier could save time and enhance outcomes. Sometimes, you simply can't pinpoint your motivations by yourself. This is where a coach's value becomes apparent. A coach offers fresh perspectives, asks probing questions, and equips you with tools and strategies to uncover your true drives. They act as a mirror, reflecting your potential and passions—elements you might not recognize on your own. If you find yourself stuck, consider consulting a coach to help clarify your goals and accelerate your personal growth.

Unless it is innate for you to lift every rock and go digging for what lies buried underneath, then you must, at least, trust that it will be an unfamiliar, and especially uncomfortable, challenge to begin the hard work of learning how to see more clearly, and identify how, when, and what drives, or motivates you. It can be a big ask of oneself, if you are not acustomed to this depth of reflective personal inquiry. That said, if you are struggling, it is likely because you are either not ready, or do not have the capacity to look.

Aprende cosas nuevas. Quizá no puedes identificar tus motivaciones porque aún no has tenido contacto con ellas, quizá has vivido según las expectativas de los demás. Piensa en aquellas cosas por la que alguna vez te sentiste atraído, pero que nunca te animaste a probar, y quizá es el momento de hacerlo. Puede que descubras que al final no llegas a conectar con eso como pensabas, pero también puede que te encuentres con una actividad que le traerá una luz diferente a tu vida.