Consider This …

Mitch Ditkoff, Heart of Innovation, offered this the other day:

“A person who is fascinated does not need to be motivated… or managed… or ‘incentivized.’ All that person needs is time, some resources, meaningful collaboration, and periodic reality checks from someone who understands what fascination is all about … the root of innovation is fascination.”

There it is, folks. The understanding we are newly gaining, the truth of human nature that is already far down the road towards the dissolution of industrialism and hierarchical business structures. Instead of relying on money as the ultimate goal, we find that our own individual souls provide the true source of inexhaustible motivation. Once discovered, no substitute will suffice.

Of course, the problem remains that we have generally lost (misplaced?) our connection to fascination. Our social structures for the most part encourage suppressing our quirky little obsessions. Our challenge is to learn to pay attention to them, cultivate them, find our meaning and purpose through them. Use them to benefit the world. We will soon be teaching the skill of such self-knowledge in every arena, in schools and businesses and governments, on the streets and in our homes.

So the government’s giving us all a handout.  Does it seem a little like bribery to you?  Like sticking a bandaid on a heart attack? 

I’m no economic expert, but I sure do wonder where all this money comes from and how come it’s not being applied to our national debt or any of the other piteously crying needs.  Of course, I’m also totally against the lottery and other forms of sanctified hoodwinking.  Who do they think we are?  They throw us a bone and expect it to placate our complaints.  They think we’re too stupid to know the difference.

The fact is, we are pretty stupid and happily accept these handouts and then happily spend them and even forget our disgust with the ruling party for a while.  We are sheep, and we will do anything for money.  We’ve still not managed to find any greater motivation.  And while we play with our new toys, gas prices continue to rise, the Iraqi war goes on, people continue to starve the world over, and what the hell is happening with the ridiculous health insurance question?

Take a peek at Seth Godin’s blog today.  Our laziness, as a people, endangers business and the economy; but its worst impact is on our own worth as human beings and thus our own personal happiness. 

Thinking about ultimate motivations this Friday morning.  Traditionally, we’ve relied on faith in the divine when all else fails to rouse our interest in daily living.  For many nowadays, though, religion just never “took.”  We had lost the ability to take things on blind faith.

Human health, though, requires robust motivation.  Depression is lack of motivation, and as one who has experienced it I know the draining of life force when depression sets in.  Motivation is the energy that actually keeps us alive.

So where does it come from?  Your children, your pets, your lover?  Perhaps you point to Mother Nature.  I must humbly suggest that these are all beneficiaries of your motivation, but not causes of it.  Motivation is derived from individual creativity.  And creativity is derived from listening, curiosity, openness, generosity and all those other attributes I’ve been discussing in these posts.  These attributes - very unlike the old hook of, “faith” - can be consciously and scientifically developed.  I can use specific exercises and intentions to boost my creative abilities and thereby boost motivation.

So in case you have been thinking that my obsession with the many aspects of creativity is excessive, I offer this explanation.  In a very real sense, the development of creativity is your lifeline,  your fundamental motivation, the one thing that keeps you getting up every morning.