Sounds familiar? Do you set high goals, work hard, and yet often feel stressed and overwhelmed? Or perhaps you feel like you can never please everyone—but you’d love to? Or do you constantly feel like everyone else is dawdling and turning everything into a “master thesis” when you could have finished long ago? These feelings (and thoughts) could be traced back to your inner driver. But what is your inner driver?
Inner drivers are often beliefs that significantly influence our behavior and decisions. They can have both positive and negative effects on our productivity—especially as long as they remain unconscious. These “invisible beliefs” operate from within and control our actions without us consciously noticing them. To find out more about your specific inner driver(s), an >> online self-test can be helpful. I provide you with an online questionnaire that will help you identify your personal inner driver(s).
It’s best to read on after you have completed the >> online questionnaire!
Inner drivers are deeply rooted convictions and beliefs that guide our behavior. They often develop in childhood and are shaped by upbringing, personal experiences, and cultural influences. These drivers can push us to achieve peak performance, but can also lead to stress and overexertion if not managed properly. As mentioned, we are often unaware of our own inner drivers. They influence our behavior in a way that is typical for us, without us realizing why. It can also happen that we are completely unaware of why other people act differently in a situation than we think would be appropriate—simply because they have different inner drivers than we do. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, especially in teams and work groups. There are many different drivers, and each of us certainly has several, which also manifest themselves differently in different situations. But most of the time, there is one that is most pronounced. I have described the five most common drivers here in the form of a belief.
The five most common inner drivers:
- “Be perfect” – or “Don’t make any mistakes.”
This driver pushes us to do everything perfectly. People with this driver often set very high standards for themselves and are rarely satisfied with their achievements.
👍 While perfectionism can lead to high quality, 👎it can also lead to procrastination and stress.
“Make everyone happy” – or “Always be pleasing.”
This driver leads us to try to please everyone and meet the expectations of others. People with this driver often have difficulty saying “no” and can easily overwork themselves.
👍 The need to please everyone can lead to harmony and good relationships, 👎but also to overload and neglect of one’s own needs.“Be strong” – or “Pull yourself together.”
This driver encourages us to be strong and independent. People with this driver rarely show weakness and are reluctant to ask for help.
👍 This can lead to independence and resilience, 👎but also to isolation and overwhelm.“Hurry up” – or “Get it done.”
This driver pushes us to always act quickly and thus always be in a hurry. People with this driver often feel stressed and rushed.
👍 Acting quickly can lead to efficiency and productivity, 👎but also to mistakes and burnout.“Try Hard” – or “Never Give Up”
This driver encourages us to always work hard and strive. People with this driver often feel obligated to constantly give their best and spare no effort.
👍 Working hard can lead to great success, 👎but also to exhaustion and overload.
That’s the most important thing about inner drivers in a nutshell; there’s much more to discover! By recognizing and understanding your inner drivers, you can better understand why you act in certain ways and how you can increase your efficiency. It also helps you better understand others and avoid misunderstandings.
If you’d like to learn more about how to positively utilize your inner drivers, I cordially invite you to my >> May Productivity Meetup May Productivity Meetup. For a deeper exploration of your personal inner drivers and their impact on your productivity, I also offer individual >>coaching . Together, we can develop strategies to manage your inner drivers and achieve your goals more effectively.
Take the opportunity to learn more about yourself and take your productivity to the next level. I look forward to seeing you at the meetup or in coaching!