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Should Our Motives Matter in the Workplace?

Updated: Sep 21, 2020

We all want a flourishing business or career to become successful and the best we can be. But what is our motivation for chasing success? Are we just in it for the money or to tell people that we have a fantastic job? Or do we want to help and add value to the lives of people?

Some of the biggest apps in the world—Facebook, Uber, WhatsApp—all started as great ideas backed by great motives to connect and bring ease to the lives of billions of people around the globe. Along the way, they’ve created countless job opportunities for unemployed and underemployed people, and we can now get to interact with almost anyone, anywhere in the world.

Whenever we want to start a job or create a business —even if you don’t plan on it one day being worth a billion dollars—we should ask ourselves; how is this going to add value to the lives of others? How are others going to benefit? Is it going to make their lives easier? Will this solve a social need? Or am I in it just for the accolades or profit?


In the race to the top, many people don’t know or refuse to recognize the people they may have hurt along the way.

As people, who want to make an impact on the world, our work must add value and make a difference. Whether it’s our own or someone else’s, we should leave a business better than we found it. We should be firm, but also encouraging. We should strive for success, but not at the expense of others. We should always be people minded, but not people pleasers. We should work towards building a legacy so we can carry others along with us.

The world is waiting for people like us to rise and take our place in the workspace. Whether you’re in STEM, a business owner, lawyer, doctor, caterer, event planner, therapist, we must do things differently. We are called to serve, and not to be served. What differentiates us from everyone else is our purpose. We are not just in it to win it but to make a mark on this generation.

That is what drives me, which is why I wake up each day and I don’t dread doing my work, because I know my work has a purpose. My motive is to build something substantial, that would outlive me, and serve my generation well. I want everyone who encounters me or my work in any way to know that they came in contact with kindness and greatness and then carry that forward to make a difference in their community.

As much as we want to succeed and win, we should want to see others succeed as well. Rather than be the first to call out co-workers when we notice they are struggling, we should help them. That is how we build trust; that is how we create a legacy. If the motive behind our work is service, together we really can make the world a better place.

How are you making a difference, in the space, you have found yourself in? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Also remember to like, share and subscribe, never to miss an update.

About The Author: Evi Idoghor is a Christian, writer, and content creator on Letstalknationblog.com. She is a chemical engineering graduate from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Consumed by her love for writing and desire to effect change, she launched her online platform––Let’s Talk Nation––to tap into her creativity and start meaningful conversations that would make a difference around the world.

Most of her writing has been influenced by her time spent in America, where she lived for about 11 years. Also, she lived in Nigeria and South Korea and currently loves traveling the world while learning about other fascinating cultures. You can find her on all social media platforms with @eviidoghor.

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