Finding Your Motivation Through Love of the Work

The job search grinds on. After months of sending out resumes, it’s easy to confuse the need for a paycheck with the need for passion. This week, our focus word is Motivation, and our anchor comes from Steve Jobs: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

For job seekers, this quote often feels like a cruel joke. How can you love what you do when you don't have a job?

Meet David. David was chasing high-paying roles in finance simply because he felt he should. He meticulously applied to large firms, but the interviews felt lifeless, and his cover letters sounded generic. He wasn't motivated; he was just complying with external expectations.

David realized he was applying for the title, not the work. He spent his free time helping friends optimize their small business websites, finding genuine joy in solving those creative and analytical puzzles. He loved the process of building, tweaking, and seeing immediate impact.

His job search Motivation shifted when he re-read the Steve Jobs quote. He stopped applying to the "should" jobs and started applying to the "love" jobs, roles in operations and small business consulting where his passion for problem-solving and optimization was the core function.

The change was immediate. His applications suddenly had life; his interview answers were energized and genuine because he was talking about work he was genuinely excited to do. He wasn't just chasing a salary; he was chasing the feeling of doing great work.

David landed a role with a start-up that allowed him to use his optimization skills daily. He found that the act of seeking work he loved became his motivation.

Remember, your job search is not just about finding a job; it’s about finding your motivation through the love of the work that ignites your Motivation. When you seek the work you love, the effort becomes easier, and the success becomes inevitable.