Motivation and Innovation in the Tech Industry
It can be difficult to innovate in the tech industry. With so many new products and ideas constantly on the market, getting your voice heard and idea recognized can seem like a near-impossible feat. The startup boom of recent years has helped some small companies with clever products make their way into big-time success but this list is for the rest of us! If you're struggling to stay motivated or think outside the box, then read on; these are just a few tricks that have worked for me in my work as an electrical engineer and could help you too!
A lot of people look at problems as obstacles that they need to go around - I see them as challenges that I can overcome. Once I learned to accept that there wouldn't always be a clear-cut way to reach the end of a project, I started to make progress. The best way to describe it is like this: if you leave things up to fate, you will probably lose. If you jump in with conviction and determination, you will definitely win.
After the excitement of starting your own business wears off, it's easy for motivation and energy levels to dwindle. For me, my motivation comes from focusing on my business's ethos and mission. Every day I ask myself how well am I living up to these values? This helps me keep track of what's important and deters me from spending time on tasks that aren't aligned with my goals. It's also a great way to get more involved in the community. When I was growing my business, I spoke at a lot of events and met a lot of people. Making new connections keeps me feeling motivated!
I'm passionate about my work because it's something I've been genuinely enjoying for many years. One day, it occurred to me that other people might enjoy working in the same field as me; this was the trigger that got me started on my journey as an engineer! That's not to say that I still don't get out of this field once in a while, but there isn't much else that can make me feel like going back to work. I really believe that the best way to motivate yourself is to make it as much of a part of yourself as possible. I like to keep my work session with myself at least an hour or so at least once every week just because I know that it's a commitment I'm making to myself. This keeps me focused and motivated in the long run!
My favourite pair of shoes are my runners, which I've had for five years now. Sometimes, when I'm bored, I like to imagine that these shoes were with me every step of the way. They heard the first ideas I had as an engineer; they were there when I was working late into the night on a particularly tricky problem; they walked along with me as I searched for my big break. Sometimes, it really strikes me how lucky I am and this keeps me motivated even when nothing else does!
It can be difficult to work in such a competitive market - but don't ever forget that you're your biggest competitor. It's important to remember that you're competing with yourself every step of the way, so stay ahead of the game. You can beat yourself by reaching your deadlines quicker, staying focused and in good health or by taking smarter decisions that get you ahead in the long run. Remember that being competitive doesn't mean that you have to be a jerk - all it means is pushing yourself to be better every single day!
Motivation is influenced by a lot of different factors and sometimes it can feel completely impossible to crack. My advice if finding motivation seems like too much of a challenge? Try focusing on the bigger picture. Consider what your long-term goals are. If you have a clear picture of where you want to be, it's much easier to get started on the journey towards it. You also won't feel like as much of a failure if you slip up now and then, which means there's no shame in asking for help!
Working with other people is often the best way to get ahead in life. This is particularly true in the tech industry! Get out there and meet new people - new ideas that come from different perspectives can be life altering! It may even be worth attending an event or two; I've met some great friends through my engineering career and that makes me believe that I can do anything. A lot of people used to tell me that my projects were impossible, but I have to say, I don't think they really believed it themselves because they never helped me. That's the worst thing you can do to yourself because it kills your motivation - instead try asking for advice or even help!
Sometimes, you can be so bogged down by the negative aspects of your life that it's hard to see the good ones. When this happens, I like to take a step back and reflect on everything that's going right in my life. I like to make a list of things I'm grateful for, things that I enjoy and even the people in my life who mean the most to me. Sometimes, when I sit down and think about all that I've achieved and all that's still left to do, it really helps to remind myself why I do what I do!
It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day tasks of your work; you can easily let them take over your life and forget about the bigger picture. It's important never to lose sight of what matters! The more often you keep this in mind, the easier it will be for you to stay motivated. This is something that I've gone through many times, so I know it's not easy!
It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day tasks of your work; you can easily let them take over your life and forget about the bigger picture. It's important never to lose sight of what matters! The more often you keep this in mind, the easier it will be for you to stay motivated. This is something that I've gone through many times, so I know it's not easy!
I get a lot of satisfaction from being able to help people around me. Over the year, I've been able to achieve a lot of great things, but I can't take credit for those. A lot of them came from early failures and learning from them. So if you're feeling down about your own failures - don't! Learn from them, improve yourself and move along to where you need to be because you'll be surprised at how much you can accomplish when you do put in the effort.
We've all had those moments where we wished for just one thing more than anything else in the world... but then it happens and it's not what we expected at all...
Conclusion
I hope you found the above insights useful! I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! :)
About me: I'm a software engineer and designer from Germany who loves technology, traveling and meeting new people. Last year, I founded a startup with my cousin and co-founder Philipp Seidel. We're currently developing a new product called Do (check it out!). You can follow us on Twitter at @doapp_io or learn more about me in my personal blog. This article was also published on Medium. Thanks for reading! :)
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