Motivation is essential when it comes to the work climate, however, it is elusive in nature and when we lose it, we may feel the pang of exhaustion or the difficulty of rising in the morning. So how do we keep motivating ourselves and those around us? Our team interviewed 12 industry leaders to gain insight on how they have found success in motivating themselves, managing their energy & wellbeing, and how they create successful environments for teams to thrive.

Motivating Self

1. Inertia

Isaac Newton’s first law of motion states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force (CNX, 2015). Motivation acts in the same way inertia does. It is difficult to get moving, but once you do, it is hard to stop. Abstract artist Aurora, mentioned that motivation is spontaneous and once it is felt, it is paramount to capitalize on its inertia to keep your energy bank full.

2. Accomplishment as a Catalyst

Denoucha Reynon, a renowned water specialist, said, “If you don’t do it yourself, no one will do it for you” (Reynon & Hilbers, 2021). We are the creators of our universe and it is action that turns your dreams into reality. Another industry leader added to this concept by recognizing that motivation may also stem from a sense of responsibility. As children, we do the bare minimum and are motivated typically by external forces. If a child accepts responsibility to do more than what is required, inner motivation can be activated and propelled by subsequent accomplishments.

3. What Does ‘Success’ Look Like to You?

Reynon also touched on the importance of how you define personal success? Is it producing the highest quality work? Being healthy and debt free? Thriving in a male dominated industry? Success looks different to everyone, however, clarifying your vision of success can tap into your intrinsic motivation, propelling you forward.

Managing Your Energy & Wellbeing

1. What Gives You Energy?

Many industry leaders highlighted an important notion that author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi disseminated in her 2008 book Flow, it is paramount that we pay attention to what activities or actions energize us. For example, one industry leader found that spending quality time with their team after hours provided a sweet buzz of rejuvenation while simultaneously nourishing the bond of connectedness throughout the team. Another leader found their energy source within. Removed from the bustle of daily activity, slowly calming the mind and surrendering to the silence, one may feel the surge of infinite energy replace mental exhaustion.

2. Are You Spread Too Thin?

There is a delicate balance that we all grapple with between work, family, soul, health, and friends and they all are demanding our attention (some more than others). As one industry leader pointed out, it is okay so say “no”. If you are bombarded with too many requests feeling as if there is not enough time in the day, get clear on your priorities and communicate to others why you do not wish to fulfill their request.

For many of us, work fills the majority of our day. One leader found it helpful to draw a line between work and the other aspects of their life leaving work at the office at the end of the day. However you find your balance, remember that you will be more productive and enlivened when you take time to reconnect with yourself.

3. Recharging your Batteries Requires Discipline

Life is like a marathon. It requires dedication and discipline to make it to the finish line, and it’s okay to walk sometimes. Comedian and podcaster Sam Tripoli tapped into a crucial aspect of managing your energy and wellbeing when he said that scheduling time to refresh through meditation, yoga, fasting, exercise, or any activity that keeps your physical body healthy, requires the same kind of discipline that you would apply to your work life. Our mind, body, and soul are all connected. When one is working at half capacity, the others will be far less effective.

Remember this is a marathon; a beautiful journey through time. It’s okay to stop and rest. After all, it’s not the number of hours you work, but the quality of what you produce.

Creating a Thriving Team Environment

1. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment

The term ‘psychological safety’, coined by Amy Edmondson, is “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking” (Edmondson, 1999). Fear culture in the workplace is very much real and unfortunately, happens often. The fear of making mistakes, being blamed, judged and disrespected are some of the main characteristics of a toxic and fearful work environment, the exact opposite of a psychologically safe environment. Every leader we interviewed highlighted the importance of creating a comfortable environment where team members have the opportunity to voice their opinions or concerns and that their voice carries weight.

2. Building Team Relationships

Humans are inherently social beings as it is in our nature to seek appraisal, emotional support, and share resources through our connections to others. Industry leaders across the board recognize that the success of an organization hinges on the people who co-create it. Taking an authentic interest in your team members by sharing common ground or a common purpose, offering support, accepting their strengths and areas of opportunity are all examples of how leaders foster meaningful relationships with their team members. People are more likely to perform better in their teams when they like the people they work with and when others depend on them.

3. The Law of Abundance

Comedian Sam Tripoli tapped into the universal law of abundance when he said, “give a man a dollar and he will run through a brick wall for you” (Tripoli & Hilbers, 2021). The law of abundance is the idea that the universe has unlimited resources and the more you give to others and appreciate what you have, the more you will receive. Giving more than what is required of you without expecting anything in return displays an enormous amount of character. Leaders who show love and appreciation for their team, taking the time to set others up for success, are introduced to an insurmountable amount of positive opportunities, not to mention the rewarding feeling of seeing the impact of giving back.

Conclusion

Motivation can be spontaneous and elusive. Accepting responsibility, clarifying goals, and defining what success looks like to you are all ways to catalyze and sustain the inertia of motivation.

Motivation cannot accelerate without energy and energy cannot be maintained without wellbeing. Recognizing what gives you energy, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and disciplining yourself enough to take time to refresh and recharge are critical to success on an individual level and being a successful leader.

As a leader it is your role to create an environment that fosters trust, commitment, credibility, and enjoyment. Leading by example, cultivating and encouraging meaningful team relationships, and giving more than is expected can profoundly impact the success of your team, and the success of your organization as a whole.

References

Creative Commons. (2015, July 27). Newton’s First Law of Motion: Inertia. OpenStax CNX. https://cnx.org/contents/031da8d3-b525-429c-80cf-6c8ed997733a@9.1:24/Newtons-First-Law-of-Motion-In/contents/031da8d3-b525-429c-80cf-6c8ed997733a@9.1:24/Newtons-First-Law-of-Motion-In.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2009). Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. Harper and Row.

Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999

Reynon, D., & Hilbers, E. A. (2021, June 4). Motivating Self & Others. Personal interview.

Tripoli, S., & Hilbers, E. A. (2021, June 4). Motivating Self & Others. Personal interview.

All food has an impact on our health and on the environment as a whole. For the milk industry in particular, there has been an enormous amount of disparity between the advice given by various authorities and public perception of the health effects of dairy milk. We have heard stories from both sides of the isle: Milk consumption is a vital source of nutrients and is an important part of a healthy diet; and the counter argument, that dairy is outright unhealthy and unnatural for human consumption. As a concerned consumer with the desire to move towards a more sustainable diet in which health, environment and economic factors have an impact, I will take all factors into account to debunk this debate and use only peer reviewed scientific journals as evidence.

Does milk affect your complexion?

In a 2017 article written by Sebastian Eguez titled, 10 Benefits of Milk You Never Knew Even When You Drink It Every Day Eguez describes the many health benefits that consuming milk can have on your diet. The article sites no scientific sources as it quickly describes the ten commonly alleged benefits of consuming milk. The first benefit that Eguez describes is an amazing complexion that, “keeps your skin supple, soft, and glowing”. It is true that dairy contains vitamin D, which is an important factor in a healthy skin complexion, but a study by Harvard School of Public Health in 2007 reported a clear link between those who drank milk regularly and suffered from acne. This is because dairy milk, excluding organic milk, contains steroids and hormones that are meant to increase the growth of calves and increase a cows milk supply. A spike in hormone levels instigates acne.

It’s true, milk has it’s health benefits!

Eguez mentions in his article that drinking milk can assist in the development of healthy bones and muscle growth, both of which are true. Milk is a rich source of protein and carbohydrates. In a 2008 article by Brian Roy, “milk may be an ideal recovery beverage for resistance and endurance training because milk is a whole food source of whey, slowly digested casein proteins, and carbohydrates that provide fuel for growing muscles”. Protein in milk does indeed prevent muscle soreness and milk can be a great source of calcium. According to a 2017 article by Serge Rozenberg, “Dairy contributes to around 52–65% of the dietary reference intake of calcium”. Calcium is a mineral that strengthens bones and teeth and milk is a great source of calcium. Yet, leafy greens such as broccoli, collard greens, and other leafy greens are also rich in calcium if you choose not to drink milk.

But can it actually help you lose weight? No!

Eguez stated in his article that drinking milk daily can help you lose weight and recommends drinking a glass at dinner or while eating fruit. Eguez is half correct, a study of 2,101 participants by PubMed, research concluded that “consumption of dairy products reduced body weight in the context of energy restriction in short-term intervention, but had the opposite effect in dietary interventions in long-term trials”. Long term consumption of milk can actually lead to weight gain! Equez’s suggestion of drinking milk while eating fruit is also an incompatible food combination. Our bodies process milk and fruit acid differently because they require different stomach acids to be produced. For example, combining milk and melon can be a painful combination because the stomach acid that breaks down melon causes milk to curdle which results in indigestion.

Careful, milk can be dangerous!

Eguez claims that milk is a disease fighter that lowers blood pressure. According to a 2010 article by Givens, there is “epidemiological evidence linking high saturated fatty acid intake with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity”. Givens also notes that dairy food consumption is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease. One glass of milk can contain a mixture of chemicals such as growth hormones, antibiotics and pain killers. Chemical contaminates are either given to cows directly, while others may come from contamination on the farm. High levels of antibiotics that are present in cows milk are contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant disease. If you are going to buy milk, make sure that you buy organic milk that does not contain hormones or chemicals.

But what’s it doing to the environment?

Health risks aside, environmental considerations are becoming increasingly important to U.S. consumers as populations increase and it becomes critical to produce high quality food with finite resources all the while minimizing effects upon the environment. The dairy industry has a large environmental footprint because of the large amount of resources needed to manage cows. According to FAO’s report, “the global dairy sector contributes four percent of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions” (Good, 2016). The largest culprit of greenhouse gas produced by cattle is methane. Methane devastated climate because of its effective ability to absorb heat and warm the atmosphere. Along the same lines, cattle also have a large water footprint. According to a 2016 article by Katie Good, “the global footprint of animal agriculture is 2,422 billion cubic meters of water, one fourth of the total global water footprint, 19 percent of which is related to dairy cattle”. Water is a finite resource as people are experiencing droughts all over the world and only 2% of water on the planet is usable.

In conclusion, milk does in fact have health benefits such as meeting required calcium intake and strengthening bones, but other popular perceptions are untrue. Milk does not contribute to weight loss, assist in a glowing complexion, or fight disease. The inputs to outputs of the modern milk production system are wreaking havoc on the environment and may be contributing to antibiotic resistant diseases. This explains the rise in milk alternatives such as almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. If you do decide to drink dairy, make sure that you choose organic milk in order to avoid consuming the extra hormones, steroids, and chemicals that are present in regular milk. It is up to you as a consumer to weigh the facts that I have presented you in this article and make an informed decision for yourself.

Work Cited

Chen, Mu, et al. “Effects of Diary Intake in Body Weight and Fat.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Society for Nutrition, Oct. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441106/.

Eguez, Sebastian. “10 Benefits of Milk That You Never Knew Even When You Drink It Every Day.” Lifehack, Lifehack, 14 Nov. 2017, www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-milk-that-you-never-knew-even-when-you-drink-every-day.html.

Givens, D I. “Milk & Meat in Our Diet: Good or Bad for Health?” Animal, vol. 4, no. 12, 10 Feb. 2010, pp. 1941–1952., doi:10.1017/s1751731110001503.

Roy, Brian D. “Milk Nutrients Augment Muscle Growth and Recovery.” International Milk Genomics Consortium, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2 Oct. 2008, milkgenomics.org/article/milk-nutrients-augment-muscle-growth-and-recovery/.

Rozenberg, Serge, et al. “Effects of Diary Products Consumption on Health.” Calcified Tissue International, Springer US, 7 Oct. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4703621/.

Wegrzyn, Kristen. “Long-Term Research Links Dairy and High-Sugar Foods to Acne.” Skin Inc., Dailymail.co.uk, 27 Mar. 2013,