Time is precious. We chase goals—income, retirement—often for others: partners, children, parents. Maslow, Herzberg, Jung—they all ask: what truly motivates you? Fame, power, or meaning? Do you compare yourself to Caesar or Napoleon? Reflect on your behavior, your choices. Semper Simul—together we grow. Understanding and attention shape a life with purpose, not just performance.
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Thank you for reading my story, thank you for your time! Time is a precious commodity in this time of performance. You desperately need the time to achieve the goals set for yourself in this life. You know them: “have sufficient income and pension money before your retirement age”, or: “have paid off the house”. I hope you don’t mislead me, but where do these goals lead you, and what do you have to give up in the first place? What choices do you have to make every day to convince yourself of those goals you have previously set, and for whom do you set these goals? Is it for yourself, or is it a silent promise to your partner, or possible children? Some people also want to show their own parents or in-laws how good they are.
What is your real purpose, if you look deep within yourself?
Who is your comparison material? Do you compare yourself to a well-known general like Napoleon Bonaparte, or perhaps to Emperor Julius Caesar or perhaps even to Alexander the Great? Okay, maybe I’ll push on, of course you would also have a role model from not that far back, and closer to you. Do you perhaps need to convince your in-laws, or even your partner? Are you afraid that someone close to you might have to convince? Of course, everyone has certain goals, or expectations, prior to his or her life, but it strikes me increasingly that these things can be translated into money, fame, and power, or vanity.
What do you think you need in this life?
What do you think of when I was to ask you this question directly? According to Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) a well-known American psychologist, those needs were very much linked to each other, and according to my interpretation you were linked to each other, and you often only thought about the next one when you already had the first one. His “Needs Pyramid” is a well-known motivation tool that is still often explained in management lessons today. Another great in this field is the also American professor Frederick Herzberg (1923-2000) from Massachusetts. In my opinion, this gentleman supplemented Maslow with his “Two Factor Theory, about motivation of people in the workplace”. Herzberg mentioned the so-called Satisfiers such as: “Performance, Recognition, the appearance of the job in question, responsibility, promotion, Growth, the development of competencies, and seeing the possibility to actually achieve something.” In this same model, Herzberg also talks about Hygiene factors or the dissatisfiers. This should include: “Salary, Fringe benefits, Relationship with colleagues, the actual physical work environment, and the relationship with him or her manager.
Are you motivated, and do you have a good working environment with great colleagues?
Oh well, I can explain all these theories and models for you, just like for example the theory of situational leadership by the English gentlemen Hersey and Blanchard, and I think you will also want to know more about it, but oh well you are so busy, and your colleagues and managers should continue to work, and not be too difficult, Other than you never achieve your goals, and think along: “to my hula”, they figure it out themselves, after all, you have your own goals that you have to achieve before retirement? And let’s be honest, 67 years old you are like that. (The age of retirement for many in the Netherlands) But then…….. Imagine before you celebrate your sixty-seventh birthday, and you see that you have never achieved your goals set earlier in life? Yes, that was not your fault, but your family that never cooperated when you came home late, or your colleagues who kept thwarting you. Oh yes, you also met several egoists in your life, who did not wish you anything, but what did you do?
Who is right the professors, you, or Carl Gustav Jung (1875, 1961), or me?
Do you ever think about your own behavior during your work and/or further life? Were you always too slow, or did you work a lot with your “elbows.” What was or is your own behavior? Do you always want to outsmart others or do you often “put a finger in the air”. Do you always tell at home after work who you have outsmarted, or literally “screwed”? I have been able to work for many great companies, you can view my CV on LinkedIn (Antonius (Ton)Bakker), and I have also made several mistakes towards others, but I once learned from my mother: “That you have to learn from your mistakes.” Because of all my mistakes I have concluded: “that together you can always learn and earn more in a good atmosphere.
How do I live?
My current life motto: “Semper Simul = Always together” I wish everyone from my current vision. And yes, sometimes you meet people who don’t understand this, or even don’t want to understand it, you may have to help them with this lesson. I think if they can’t or don’t want to understand this lesson, they will also fall short at the end of their career, what do you think? Carl Gustav Jung a well-known psychologist albeit already in the middle of the twentieth century: “There is a good chance that you will have a happy life if you avoid stress, by a good assessment of your own possibilities and impossibilities, you then have to walk less on your toes, and you also resonate faster and better with the others around you: “Understanding and attention gives understanding and attention.” Have fun!
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