The Real Key To Success: Ability, Motivation, and Attitude

In the realm of personal and professional development, three crucial elements stand out as cornerstones for success: ability, motivation, and attitude. These three factors intertwine in what I call a complex “Texas 3 step” dance.  They create a framework that governs how individuals reach their goals, interact with others, and define their careers.

Ability: The Foundation of Competence

Ability can be seen as the sum total of your skills, education, and experience. It is essentially what you are "capable of doing." In a professional context, this might include your technical acumen, communication skills, and industry-specific knowledge. Thankfully, ability is not a fixed trait; it can be developed and improved through ongoing education, practice, and experience.

I believe that even though ability is important, it alone is insufficient for achieving success. Possessing skills and knowledge is meaningless unless you put them into correct action. This is where the other two elements—motivation and attitude—come into play.

Strategies for Enhancing Ability

·         Continuous Learning: Keep up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in your field.

·         Networking: Building relationships within your industry can open doors and provide new opportunities for skill development.

·         Feedback and Review: Periodic assessments can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, offering a roadmap for improvement.

Motivation: The Engine of Action

Motivation is the driving force that propels you to take action. It is what "determines what you do." Motivation can be intrinsic, coming from within based on personal interests or the desire for self-fulfillment, or extrinsic, stemming from external rewards such as money, recognition, or status.

A high motivation level amplifies your abilities by focusing your energies on tasks and goals that matter. Without motivation, even the most able individuals may find themselves procrastinating, stagnating, and unable to utilize their skills to the max.

Strategies for Boosting Motivation

·         Goal Setting: Defining clear, achievable objectives gives you something to strive for.

·         Reward System: Small rewards can provide the extra push needed to complete a task.

·         Accountability: Sharing your goals with someone else can increase your commitment to achieving them.

Attitude: The Quality of Execution

Attitude represents your disposition towards tasks, challenges, and interactions. It determines "how well you do it." A positive attitude doesn't just make you more pleasant to be around; it can actually improve the quality of your work. In my opinion, this is the most important of the triad.  Here’s why: your approach to problems, willingness to collaborate, and resilience in the face of setbacks can all be influenced by your attitude.

Strategies for Improving Attitude

·         Self-awareness: Regularly take time to evaluate your mindset and make adjustments as needed.

·         Positive Reinforcement: Surround yourself with positive influences to help maintain an optimistic outlook.

·         Conflict Resolution: Learn effective ways to handle disagreements or setbacks, which can otherwise sour your attitude.

The Symbiotic Relationship

The interaction among ability, motivation, and attitude creates a synergistic effect. High ability with strong motivation often leads to exceptional performance, but add a positive attitude to the mix, and you've set the stage for unlimited success and leadership potential.  Here’s my thinking on how all this works…

• Ability feeds Motivation: The more competent you become, the more confident you feel, increasing your motivation to tackle more significant challenges.

• Motivation influences Attitude: A motivated individual is generally more optimistic, which fosters a positive attitude.

• Attitude affects Ability: A positive attitude can enhance your ability by helping you focus, reducing stress, and enabling better problem-solving.

Neglecting any one of these elements can severely hamper your potential, while focusing on all three can set you on a path to extraordinary accomplishments.

Let me conclude with this final thought. 

Building a successful career or personal life is not solely about having exceptional skills, through the roof motivation, or the most optimistic of attitudes. Rather, it's about finding the right balance among these elements and using them to fuel one another in a self-reinforcing cycle of continual growth and achievement. 

I’m putting emphasis on the continual growth and achievement part but, adding intentionality to them.

Bill Bergfeld