Several years ago I coached Seattle litigator, Jodi McDougall. Jodi is one of her firm’s leaders.

I loved working with Jodi for many reasons. One reason is that she frequently sent me emails letting me know how things were going.

The emails would start with “CP.” I still have one where she shared with me that she was “majorly in the zone.”

I wrote about it back then: Success and Fulfillment: Get in the Zone.

I mentioned that one reason I thought she was in the zone was because she was intrinsically motivated more than extrinsically motivated. I’m sure that is still true today.

After posting the blog, I read more materials on motivation.

I read a blog post and article in Success Magazine by Shawn Phillips. Shawn included a comparison of Training vs. Exercise that I found helpful in his article titled: “Stop Exercising: Why You Should Train Instead.”

He noted that athletes do not go to exercise camp, they go to training camp where they are focused on achieving specific results, fueling an intense drive and motivation.

Aren’t the differences between those who are successful with marketing and client development much the same? The lawyers I coach who are most successful are intrinsically motivated. They are clearly training, not exercising. They are highly motivated, focused and in the zone. They are not making client development efforts in response to a need and they are not bored by their efforts.

I really like what Shawn Phillips said at the end of his blog post. I want to paraphrase, what he said, changing his references from training to client development:

If you’re committed to growing beyond the carrot and stick to a truly sustainable form of motivation then you must learn to fall in love with client development and marketing itself and not just the results. Patience, commitment and persistence are all essential ingredients; however, ultimately you must aim for joy and you’ll discover, in the least expected of moments, Mastery.

As you discover how to love becoming more valuable to your clients, leading you to the goals that matter most, you will transform discipline into freedom, struggle into grace, and willpower into passion.

I found another Success Magazine Blog by Shawn Phillips: MOTIVATION: From Discipline to Mastery In Training, In Life.