Page 130 - Talane Miedaner - Coach Yourself to a New Career_ 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life (2010)

118 COACH YOURSELF TO A NEW CAREER

Knowledge/Truth

This category applies if you are motivated by discovering the truth
and gaining knowledge. In order to feel satisfied in your work, you
need to have an intellectual challenge.
A job loses your interest when you’ve
Rather than love, than learned all you can there; you need a
money, than fame, bigger intellectual challenge. Einstein
give me truth. is a familiar example of dedicating
one’s life to the quest for knowledge
—HENRY DAVID THOREAU and truth. Research scientists, academ-
ics, teachers, professors, writers, and
journalists all may have knowledge as a
motivating value. Because people of this type are motivated by
learning, they may take a job that pays less than they could make
elsewhere if it is mentally challenging or stimulating. If this is
your motivating value, you probably have a hard time getting out
of a bookstore.

Identify Your Own

Hidden Motivators

Review the preceding list of the six hidden motivators and choose
the two that are the strongest for you, then the two that may apply
some of the time but not always, and finally the two about which
you are indifferent. Among my clients, this is how people typically
rank their values: in pairs, from most important to least important.
Occasionally, however, I meet someone who has three strong moti-
vating values instead of two.
The kind of car you drive or would choose to drive may be a
good indicator of your values. One client drives a beautiful old
Jaguar. Every other week it is in the shop for one reason or another.
He doesn’t care. He cherishes his car. His primary value is beauty,
and he doesn’t mind that the car doesn’t actually function that