Embracing the Unknown: Exploring The Links of Motivation

ah staying motivated…how do we try and keep our nose on the “grindstone”? why do we have to push ourselves? is it really even needed? well not being motivated enough led to a super long hiatus between posts…lets explore!

The process of transformation, whether in leadership or creative fields like photography, is rarely straightforward. We often encounter the unknown—factors or inputs that may or may not lead to the desired outcome. This uncertainty can challenge our motivation, whether we're trying to capture the perfect shot or cultivate leadership between us and our supervisors. But it's precisely this unknown that drives our creativity and growth, propelling us toward innovation, even if the road is littered with failures.

The Unknown Inputs:

As complex adaptive systems, both our leadership journeys and creative processes are constantly shaped by an array of unpredictable inputs. In photography, those inputs could be as tangible as the quality of light, the composition, or the settings on the camera, but they also encompass intangible factors like our own mood or the energy of the environment. Every variable can affect the final outcome in ways we can’t always foresee. Similarly, in leadership, these variables can take the form of team dynamics, stakeholder expectations, or organizational changes. The effectiveness of a decision or a strategy may depend on factors that are impossible to predict, making it difficult to chart a clear course forward.

Yet, it is this very uncertainty that fuels the creative process and the transformational journey. The act of engagement—whether with a camera or with a team—becomes a dynamic exploration, where the lack of a fixed path creates room for innovation and learning. To thrive in such an environment, we must embrace the fluidity of these inputs, trusting that we can adapt and recalibrate as we go. The unknown is not something to fear but rather a catalyst for growth, pushing us to experiment and evolve. Every attempt, every experiment, brings new insights, whether it leads to success or failure, because it forces us to be present, observant, and responsive to what is unfolding in the moment.

The Challenge of Sustaining Intensity:

Pushing forward with fervor in the face of the unknown, however, is not without its challenges. It’s easy to become fatigued when we don’t see immediate results or when our efforts don’t seem to be yielding the expected outcomes. Whether it's in leadership or in creative work, the gap between effort and success can sometimes feel overwhelming. This is where the true test lies: sustaining motivation when you don’t know which inputs will ultimately lead to the breakthrough you’re striving for. In leadership, this challenge manifests as the tension between trying different approaches to inspire change and the frustration that comes from not knowing which one will resonate. In photography, the frustration can be just as palpable—setting up a shoot, trying a new technique, and still not achieving the vision you had in mind.

That uncertainty can easily lead to burnout, doubt, or discouragement. But here, resilience becomes a key tool. It’s not just about bouncing back from failure, but about cultivating the stamina to keep engaging with the process, even when the path forward is unclear. Each failure, rather than diminishing our motivation, can be seen as a feedback loop, teaching us how to refine our approach, how to observe more closely, and how to adjust our expectations. It’s through this iterative process that both leaders and creatives build the endurance needed to succeed. The intensity we put into our work—be it in leading teams through uncertainty or crafting the perfect shot—demands more than just effort; it requires a commitment to the ongoing process of learning, adapting, and evolving. Without this ability to sustain intensity, even through setbacks, the transformative journey would stall. It's the willingness to stay fully engaged, to persist through trial and error, that makes the eventual success not only possible but meaningful.

Motivation as a tool not a result:

Whether in leadership or photography, the unknown is not just an obstacle to be overcome, but a fundamental part of the creative and transformative process. It exists as both a challenge and an opportunity. On one hand, the unknown tests our ability to adapt and maintain direction without a clear roadmap. It can make the journey feel uncertain and fraught with potential missteps. However, this same uncertainty is what pushes us beyond the status quo, what forces us to confront our limitations and stretch toward new possibilities. The unknown challenges us to engage fully with the process, to immerse ourselves in the work itself rather than focusing solely on the end result. It requires that we trust our skills and judgment, even when the outcome is uncertain.

In photography, each shot, each composition, is an exploration of the unknown—where the play of light, the composition of elements, or the angle of the lens might yield unexpected results. Similiary, in leadership, this means navigating complex team dynamics or organizational change, often without knowing which approach will be most effective. It means making decisions that might not immediately bear fruit but trusting that they will in time. The unknown requires a level of faith in our abilities, an understanding that we may not have control over every factor influencing the outcome.

However, by embracing the unknown and its unpredictability, we open ourselves up to new learning and growth. We come to understand that not every effort will yield the success we hope for, and that is okay. Success is not just about achieving the desired outcome, but about the insights we gain through trial and error. It is through this process that we build resilience—the ability to keep moving forward, even when we don’t know what’s ahead. Passion and commitment are essential in this journey because they sustain us when the path seems unclear. They fuel the perseverance to keep going, to try again, even when failure feels imminent.

Ultimately, the unknown is what propels us toward transformation. Every step we take, whether successful or not, brings us closer to growth. Failure is not a defeat but a valuable feedback mechanism, helping us refine our approach, deepen our understanding, and move toward a higher level of skill, insight, and leadership. When we embrace the unknown, we embrace the process of evolution—both in ourselves and in our work.