Cee Tee Jackson

Mr. Motivated

Cartoon image of middle aged man with spiky hair and wearing glasses, works at his laptop.

Perhaps it’s best to start with what doesn’t motivate me.

Money.

Yup, that’s right. Money. I mean, it’s nice to have of course, and I’d most definitely like to have more of it, If it comes as a result of my doing something specific, and doing it well, then lovely. But as a sole motivator? Nah.

Back in the day, being a reasonable track athlete / cross country runner, I used to compete in the Highland Games circuit across Scotland. In the early 1970s, athletics in the UK was still strictly amateur … and I mean strictly! If an athlete was found to have accepted any financial recompense for an event, and that extended to book and record tokens, then they’d forfeit their amateur status and would be prohibited from competing in National and Regional League meets.

Yet I, and hundreds of others, would turn up to races and give of our best, week after week, in all sorts of inclement weather. We didn’t do this in the hope of winning a crappy wee salt and pepper cruet set, a butter dish or a plastic ice bucket.

We did it simply if not to beat the person in front, then to beat our own previous best time.

This debate arose during the recent Olympics. My wife thought I was crazy saying had I been granted the talent, I’d much rather have an Olympic Gold Medal than the financial riches of a Premier League football player.

She is very much of the opinion that effort and commitment should be rewarded financially. I argue there are better rewards, and so better motivators than money.

For instance, in the early 2000s I wrote for a national music magazine here in UK. It took a lot of time and effort … and I didn’t get paid. Not one penny. I did however, manage to get free admission to just about any gig in Scotland I wanted. And over the years, I could see my interview technique and writing improve dramatically.

(I know what you’re thinking … if this piece your reading right now is a huge improvement, then my early efforts must have been worse than five-star cringe worthy!) 😀

That, though, was my motivator. To become the best I could be.

An old Bank Manager I worked with once gave me the quote:

‘You get slack by degrees.’

Never a truer word … and I like to think I live by that to this day.

It bothers me not what people may think, nor do I care if I have shed-loads of money. So long as I know in my heart of hearts that I give 100% towards doing the best and being the best I can possibly be – then that’s all the motivation I need.

🙂

Yeah – why not? Here’s a cool wee bonus …

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12 comments

  2. There’s definitely something to be said for sports for sports sake… but if your country’s best athletes are paid professionals, I think they should compete in the Olympics as well.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I do have to agree, somewhat reluctantly . That’s just the way if it nowadays I’m afraid. To become the best you must train full time and sacrifice ‘normal life’s for so many years, but still pay the bills.

      But if I had to chose, I’d take the glory of Olympics over the cash of football. 😃

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I agree…you do something just for money and it hardly ever works out emotionally…if your heart is not in it it’s not the same. Now everything comes down to money almost…and that sucks.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Am I correct in believing that athletes who won a track and field gold medal at this year’s Olympic games also won some money? It’s the first time I’ve heard of that happening, and it makes me wonder if the ‘money’ aspect is like a carrot being dangled in front of a donkey to make them want to win. I’d have thought most athletes do it for the gold medal.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yeah – I’m sure it was $50,000.
      Personally, I have no beef with that, though most track and field athletes good enough to win Gold will already have funding / sponsorship and other race winnings nestling in their bank accounts. But while it may be more appropriate for other sports national bodies to do the same. THEY won’t have the funds to make such an offer.

      Ironically then, it’s the BIG stars of tennis, basketball and golf who probably want that medal more than cash as it would set them apart and ‘above’ their fellow competitors on the regular circuit.

      Like

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