Too much motivation

A few days ago I lamented my apparent inability to "execute". I have been thinking about this more of course, and have actually chatted about it with an ex-co-worker. According to him, I was considered to be the executioner in the office. I don't know if that means I underestimate myself, or that they are really in trouble.

I have also been paying more attention to why I may feel a little inadequate in the area of get-up-and-get-go. One reason that has become apparent is that, for really the first time in my life, I am surrounded by highly motivated people. This of course makes me feel worse than I probably am. But another thing I have noticed, is that most people are incredibly active, doing this or that project, making me feel inferior... but when I really think about it, I see no need for most of the projects. I see people doing more work than doesn't need to be done. It's great if it's their personal hobby or passion (even I am good at executing that type of stuff) but I wonder what motivates people to do extra work that isn't needed? I don't want to give any examples here, because I don't want to imply that the work people is doing is not "good" work... or that their effort and intentions is not appreciated, it's just that I would never have thought of it or even seen or felt the need. So that is why I feel, on some level, less productive.

It makes me wonder if this is not a main driver of our unsustainable society as a whole; people do things because they want to show how motivated they are. They don't stop to ask if what they are doing is valuable or why. People feel that they constantly have to be "working" on something. They don't stop to ask what would happen if we didn't have all the crap being worked on. I think about people so focused on their careers, their goal is to make "results", yet they have no clue where those results are heading to.

I wonder what would happen if people slowed down and only did what was needed or enjoyable, if people weren't driven by a desire to look or feel industrious.

Sure, one could argue that there will always be someone who feels passionate about anyhting... perhaps someone is passionate about sugar water, hence there would still be a coca-cola. But would coca-cola still have so many people working so hard to... sell sugar water? Is everyone there really so passionate about it? Or was it only the founder? Does the accountant really feel deep down that helping people get fat is something he believes in... something that motivates him? Does the low-level worker in the marketing department really feel that making kids want more is bringing value to society, that kids need sugar water? Is that her passion? If so, keep up the good work. I kind of doubt it though. My sense is that the main motivator is simply an image we have that "good people work hard".

This also makes sense in terms of me being an executioner in the office. That was back when I was driven by some feeling or need to be recognized as a good worker, or expert in my field (at least in the office). As I slowly began to realize that there was really no value in my work there (at least nothing I value), my motivation and execution ability began to wain. That is when I decided to get out. Since then I have been trying to find what motivates me. Unfortunately, it's difficult since I already have more than I need, so there is no motivation to climb any ladder, or to "get more". If only I can figure out what motivates me... then I can be a productive executioner again.