When Money is No Longer the Reason You DO Things

[Pete Grimes](/articles/author/Pete Grimes)

Posted on

26/01/2022 15:32

What happens next?

A conversation with Pete Grimes. I want to talk about something really important. What do you do, when money is no longer an issue in your life. You've climbed the career ladder and you've reached the pinnacle in your career?

You may have reached this point yourself. You've enjoyed all the trappings of the lifestyle you've worked so hard to create, but right now there's something missing inside of you.

When you get to that point in your life - where money is no longer the driver, often we start to think - there's got to be something more. Something beyond what we know as our every day life.

The question becomes, "How do I want to spend my time and contribute?", rather than "How do I have to spend my time and contribute".

After working with hundreds, if not thousands of thought leaders during my professional career this conversation was entertained more times than I can remember. It started to make me think about what would be the next big thing for me, in my life, and how would I want to remember it.

Meet Don

Don (Donald) is my father. He is a stoic man. Strong, dependable. Don fought for our country. He nurtured and raised his family. He is a man of integrity. He was tough, fair and compassionate. His adventures are stories for future generations.

Don is someone you could look to for advice and know without quivering he is the man - that could guide you to the outcome you were seeking. The traits of a true leader. Don is my hero.

How do we keep the stories, adventures and lessons alive for future generations?

When we look at our families and what we've all worked so hard for, it's easy to forget the incredible things you've achieved.

My siblings and I knew it was important to capture these stories while he is still with us. To take the essence and turn them into a book we could all be proud of. We did this - as a family - we wrote a book capturing his stories. My dad loved it. The story and legacy to him are just as important to him as the audience who would receive it.

This is the same for you. It's important to share your stories and insights in a way - that can be shared with future generations and people around you today. It's an extraordinarily satisfying experience to complete this.

We all want to be loved, to love, be heard and listen - there's something much deeper though, which leads us to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

What is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology that describes the hierarchy of human needs, which can be summarized into three categories: physiological, safety and love.

We can surmise that all humans have a natural need for food, shelter, safety and belonging.

Most people do not have to work hard to satisfy these needs because they are given to us by nature. However if humans lack these basic needs they will find ways to meet them through various means such as money, material goods and social networks.

When this hierarchy was first proposed by Maslow, it was based on his own life experiences where he had grown up in a poor family, with very little food and clothing on his mother's side, but he was able to survive on his own.

The concept developed over time through different theories that were put forward proving that Maslow's ideal human being would have all five important human needs fulfilled (energy - needed for metabolism), yet still be physically capable of working (in a job) to meet these other three needs (as illustrated below).

With this theory he also described different ways for people to fulfill these five needs

The ability and physical effort to fulfill basic needs
The ability and mental effort to fulfill psychological needs
The ability to self actualize; the self-fulfillment of needs

By understanding Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - we're now able to solve the mystery - of what's next.

That's where I want to lead you.

YOUR Hierarchy of Needs

You're here, reading this article, because like many others - you've completed your pyramid - from the bottom up. Once you reach a point in your career and life, everything you worked for lends itself to fulfilling your basic needs and, to some deeper extent, your psychological needs.

The next step in the journey is realization and awareness of the potential you hold, to achieve fulfilment.

We call this self-actualization. You're now at that point in your life, where you're asking: "What's next? How do I make an impact beyond what I did in my career?". This is the "what's next phase".

This is a really fascinating conversation to have - it's one I've enjoyed over coffee with many leaders over the last 30 years.

Defining Self-Actualization for YOU

This is the point in which you realize "There's got to be more', or "What's next for me?". It is the point in which you enter a state of awareness and self discovery. This is a period of enormous personal growth - which can really start to alter your state of mind and how you see your "self-actualization".

The journey inwards, becomes a journey outwards as you seek ways to make a difference and leave a lasting legacy, or contribute in some way, whether it be small or big, towards a cause or activity that has great meaning to you. These are the 'intangibles'. Growth can occur in stages: up/down the ladder (pyramid) and may be slowed or accelerated depending on your personal circumstances and external environmental factors (family, divorce, death, major life changes).

There are many avenues, but here are the most popular ones:

· Personal growth and pride of accomplishment

· Scaling their impact and helping more people

· Improving relationships (and creating new ones)

· Leaving a legacy

We move into a new phase called META Motivation. Let me explain further.

Definition: Metamotivation

Metamotivation is a term coined by Maslow to describe an individuals growth:

Personal Growth
Character Growth
Character Expression
Maturation
Development

Putting it into context, it's the ascension of growth from where you've been, to where you're going, to finding deeper meaning in what you're doing.

Metamotivation - Which Path Will You Take?

There are a few pathways that have proven to be successful in development of personal growth and self-fulfilling needs.

You can write a book (I can help you with this)
You can become a speaker
You can set up a foundation to support an important cause
You can become a mentor (to students/start-ups/businesses/up coming thought leaders)
You can travel and visit communities and become actively involved

All of these options will create a sense of purpose, self-fulfilment and happiness. And whether you choose to become a speaker or a mentor, set up a foundation or or engage in some other form of activism, a book can propel you.

You have so much to give. I encourage you to work with me on writing your book and documenting your self-actualization project.

Using Your Personal Brand

Other than your intellectual property (IP) your most personal brand is among the most valuable assets you own. When you leverage the power of your personal brand along with a vehicle to share your message it becomes an incredibly powerful way to to reach the people that matter most in your 'new circle of influence'.

Why Write a Book?

Writing a book is one of the most creative and rewarding ways to share your message and story.

If you are passionate about a cause, sharing your message in writing will reach more people, and inspire them to take action to help you achieve your goal (and that can mean helping them achieve their goals).

But the process of writing can take a lot of time and effort when including elements of both creative writing and research.

If you are not a writer by trade, or have never written anything before, it can be intimidating to begin this journey. For some people that’s a problem. They don’t want to invest the time and energy in creating something they don’t love or know how to write well. But if that kind of obstacle gets in the way of getting started, then I highly recommend approaching it with an open mind and an optimistic attitude, and I can show you there is no reason to feel overwhelmed!

A book is a great way to reach people. While your story might be of interest to many people, it can take time and effort to share your message. The best way to do this is by sharing your story in writing.

The Easy Way to Write a Book

As a thought leader and entrepreneur, I’ve learned that one of the biggest challenges you face as an author is finding the time to write. I've developed a systematic way to become an author naturally, without actually typing a single word. Following this process, many of my clients have been able to get the content ready for their book in just a couple of weeks, or even a weekend away.

The book writing process:

We talk about the strategy and purpose for your book.
Frame out the book chapters.
Create the content for each chapter.
Ghost write and edit.
Design and prepare for publishing.
Promote and Distribute.

This is a done with you service (I'm here for you each step of the way).

If you would like to know more, simply contact us and we will promptly provide you with the insights you need.

Share Your Story

Leave a comment below to share your story. I would be thrilled to hear about the path you've taken, your lessons learned, and the message you would like to share.

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