How to find the ultimate motivation

Last year, I went to the cinema to watch a film called TheLost King (if you haven’t seen it, it’shonestly worth a watch!) and it got me thinking about the subject of motivation. 
 
The film is based on the 2012 discovery of King Richard III's remains beneath a Leicester car park in the UK. 
 
It’s told from the perspective of amateur historian, Philippa Langley, who orchestrated the real-life search and was responsible for the discovery of the remains. 
 
Now what was compelling was that at every turn, Langley was met with serious resistance in her quest to find the King. 
 
Her friends and family thought her unrelenting research was strange and incomprehensible. 
 
And experts and academics were extremely sceptical and dismissive of her research and her conviction about his true location. 
 
But Langley didn’t give in. 
 
She refused to be ignored, fought to raise the funds for the archaeological dig, secured permission to excavate and trusted her gut on exactly where in the car park the King’s grave lay. 
 
Even after the discovery, which proved her right, Langley continued to face resistance. 
 
We see her being side-lined and marginalised by others who stepped in to grab the limelight and dictate next steps... 
 
…meaning she had to fight again to ensure things like the raised tomb design proposed and funded by her “Looking for Richard Project” was honoured. 
 
So why am I relaying this story? 
 
Well, what struck me was Langley’s ardent commitment to the cause, despite being laughed at, continually questioned, dismissed and cancelled. 
 
How did she keep going when it would have been so easy to give up? 
 
What ultimately motivated her? 
 
If I had to guess, I’d say it was her “Why?” 
 
What I mean by this is that Langley was connected to and driven by a heartfelt purpose. 
 
Her quest wasn’tjust about a historical investigation or solving a 500-year mystery. 
 
Neither was it about boosting the economic prospects of Leicester or gaining personal recognition.   
 
She was wholeheartedly passionate about honouring a King, giving him a rightful burial and challenging his long-held reputation as a Machiavellian villain. 
 
This deep, emotional purpose drove her every action, fuelled her commitment and gave her untold strength in the face of adversity. 
 
So what does this mean for you? 
 
Well, if you have a goal you really want to achieve, whether it’s personal or professional, ask yourself this: 
 
"What’s my Why?” 
 
Why do you want to do it? Why do you value it? Why does the outcome really matter? 
 
Often people’swhy’s relate to wanting to support their family, or have a positive impact on the lives of others, or to leave a legacy, or to feel loved or to create meaningful change.  
 
So take some time to get to your goal's underlying emotional driver and write it down. 
 
Because whatever yours is, when you understand your “why” it’s highly likely you’ll be more capable of pursuing the things that give you fulfilment, even if they are really tough to accomplish. 
 
Your “why" will serve as a point of reference for all your actions and decisions. 
 
And it will give you the motivation and strength to continue when things are harder than expected or you meet resistance. 
 
You might just find that it helps you achieve something pretty remarkable! 
 
Alison x 

If you, or an aspiring or senior leader in your business, would like help finding your "why" and putting it into action to achieve amazing things, contact SouhaKhairallah, Talent and Professional Development Director, PRCA at souha.khairallah@prca.org.uk, and ask for a no-strings consultation call with me.  

I deliver structured coaching programmes that are tailored to the individual, helping people overcome barriers, capitalise on their innate strengths and realise their true potential. 

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