Motivation: A Short Story

Improved Essays
My day started with a noise somewhat familiar, for I heard it several times earlier that week. It was still early and dark in my room as I lay in bed. I rolled over to look at the clock… ugh… 2:23 am, too early. I closed my eyes tight, trying to fall back asleep, but I heard the noise again! Becoming restless and awake, I realized my cat, Leroy, was vomiting. The sound was high pitched, a sort of "WOW-WOW-WOW-WOW" noise. This went on for what seemed like, at the time, an eternity. Then it happened, a final noise, the sound of relief as Leroy puked up whatever was gagging him. All was quiet; I rolled over, closed my eyes and attempted to fall back asleep. However, sleep felt hopeless as I lay awake listening to the chime of the clock reminding …show more content…
Arriving at my usual time of 8 am, I sighed and began my work day of repetitive meetings and tasks. Feeling bored and lacking the desire to complete simple tasks, I struggled through the work day. It was nearing 3:30 in the afternoon, when I looked out my window and noticed the incredible view; the blue sky reflecting off a perfectly calm Glorietta Bay. A beautiful Crane, statue like, in the water waiting to strike and catch a fish for its dinner. I gazed off to the right to see the San Diego sky line in the distance. My focus shifted to the Coronado Bridge when I noticed the traffic at a standstill mid span. Approaching the base of the bridge, I sighed as traffic was at a standstill and I knew the commute home would be long. At a dreadfully slow pace, I crept the two miles across the bridge until I merged onto Interstate 5 homebound. I knew it was smooth sailing until I would reach the ramp for CA-163; a stretch of road I dreaded. It is five lanes of traffic merging into a single lane, all jockeying for position, no one willing to merge. As I approached CA-163 exit, I didn’t see the normal traffic backing onto Interstate 5. As I crested the slight hill of the exit, I shouted with joy and threw my fist into the air! The ramp was completely clear, no traffic. I was nearly …show more content…
I rushed in to investigate the smell; it was homemade chocolate chip brownies. I immediately looked around to make sure I was alone, I was! My mouth watered as I worked quickly to pick at the edge of the brownies for a taste, unfortunately I heard, “Hey! Stop picking.” I was busted, but it was worth the taste. At the same time, I heard the pitter patter of feet and knew right away it was my kids. They came running around the corner to where I was waiting; their big smiles and happy faces were a welcomed sight. I squatted and grabbed them both for a “group hug” as they like to call it. I could feel their tiny fingers grasping my arms and back; my daughters’ curly hair tickling my face. It’s the little things in life, (heartwarming hugs and delicious brownies) that brings joy on miserable

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    “Even then, I really didn’t let it phase me as there wasn’t anything either one of us could do without travelling hours out of her way to get where she was going.” Not all residents were as brazen as these two. Many residents found themselves in a predicament where they just avoided the I-10 altogether. Trevor Widmann, resident of Scottsdale, drives for both Uber and Lyft. Widmann found himself sacrificing hours and miles to a getting on any of the local freeways while the incidences were taking place.…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Personal Intrinsic Motivators When intrinsic motivation is present, it can have a strong influence on an individual’s behaviour. In healthcare, this gives rise to individuals who are dedicated and passionate about their work. Manion (2011) identified five intrinsic motivators that influence professional behaviour: “healthy relationships, meaningful purpose, competence, choice and progress” (p. 297) and in this instance, all five were present. Workplace engagement is in place when the presence of these factors serves to stimulate and inspire individuals to achieve happiness in their professional lives.…

    • 974 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Freeway Jam Analysis

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Journal #3 part:1 Freeway Jam was about the abundance of freeways In Los Angeles and the infamous Los Angeles traffic. One person mentioned in the reading was a man named, Reyner Banham who is basiclly the grandfather of freeways in LA. He wrote the book “Los Angeles:The Architecture of Four Ecologies” Reyner even coined the word “autopia.” He stated “as you acquire the special skills involved , the Los Angeles freeway become a special way of being alive.”…

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Route 66

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Like America human ride the route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica in the 20's, this road only has one way and takes you back in time. The other highway connect small cities and rural areas that one day they thought of becoming more the small places. These tiny places are just being passed by the interstate, but one day they will become more then just…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The steady flow of traffic coming towards us wouldn’t have had to find alternate routes to try and avoid one another. Three cars went over the embankment. No one survived the mountain run. Two more cars were dangling dangerously over the edge, with only the guard rail clutching small bits of metal, trying to grasp whatever it could to hold on to the cars so they wouldn’t fall. I listened to a lady inside one of the cars screaming for someone to help her baby, still buckled into his car seat, but hanging out the window.…

    • 744 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In Richard Lavoies the Motivation Breakthrough: 6 Secrets to Turning on the tuned-out child proves techniques and strategies based on six possible motivational styles that will revolutionize the way parents and teachers inspire kids with learning disabilities to succeed and achieve. It promotes better communication, improvement through goals, and respect of the student. It provides an idea rather than the reward system. I think the value of this book lies in teaching people that what motivates them does not necessarily motivate their kids or any other person for that matter. That some information provided for parents should be read by the teachers and some provided with practical information only for teachers to use in their classrooms should…

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the article, “The Mystery of Motivation,” the author Gary Drevitch, speaks of poorly thought out incentives to motivate good people in forms of cash and social rewards to do their best, but the ending result may actually cause them to be at their worst. Throughout the article, Drevitch gives examples of incentives that have backfired on: companies, schools, banks, fundraisers, hospitals, and even cash incentives or allowances at home. Although, the author gives several example of poorly thought out incentives, he does mention an incentive program that was economically successful. The first example of as bad incentive program that Drevitch speaks of is the Wells Fargo bank and credit card scam that happened in 2011.…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Humid gusts of wind burst through the ajar windows in the back of our clamorous twelve passenger van. Through the stereo, a soft melodic beat flows effortlessly. Excitement bubbles over each passenger, and our faces radiate with joy. Anticipation blinds us from perceiving the grand distance between our vehicle and our destination. Every approaching mile draws us in more rapidly than the last.…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    CV Link Project Analysis

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many kids use the Highway 111 while walking to school. Many kids end up in accidents where many are seriously injured as the rest die as a result of fatal accidents along the busy highway. School going kids are involved in accidents when they attempt to cross the highway and end up being knocked down by speeding motorists along the road. After the completion of the CV Link, the authorities are going to put up underpasses and overpasses that will ensure that the pedestrians are protected while on the road because they shall be walking away from the highway. (Stock, p.17)…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Puzzle of Motivation presented by Dan Pink was very informational, as well as, inspiring. The way we conduct business in the 21st century is very different than the way it was practiced in the previous ones. However, with the constant shifts, the way leaders and organizations motivate and inspire employees has not. Motivation of employees is vital to the success of the employees, in addition to, the organization. The following essay will discuss and describe how Dan Pink’s theories of motivation relate to the people alignment aspect of change management.…

    • 1027 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    My Motivation is myself, what I mean is im doing it for me. I wanted a higher education for a long time and I have the time now. I want to be a better father and learning will help in a better job and stronger skills. My purpose is to get a better job.…

    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Thank you for your time.” I walked through the door and I’m greeted with a strong smell of really bad perfume. Or is it chemicals? Beyond the smell, I notice the interior of the home. Everything is either neutral or dark tone in color.…

    • 1252 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “It 's not the load that breaks you down, it 's the way you carry it.”- Lou Holtz I really connected to the motivation and communication articles for this session. I connected with the motivation articles in context of my experiences at work and the communications articles, in particular the Weeks’ excerpt, in regards to my own personal tendencies. I noticed a lot of things while reading these articles and observing the events taking place around me. I really started to think about how these things not only affected where I work, but how they come into play in the various areas in my life.…

    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Motivation in the workplace is essential to keep a company successful, and the employees happy. When employees are motivated, their production increases, and overall they are much happier at their job. It is so easy to become unmotivated, especially when working on a particularly challenging task, or if you have a job where the day-to-day tasks are routine. Personally for me I like a job where I can work on multiple tasks, or move from one job to another. I like variation in my work day, so I don’t get bored.…

    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Incident 2 : I thought I speak a very good English until I came to England. I was at the supermarket once and a man approached me , thinking that I work in the supermarket, and asked me about something he was looking for. I asked him to repeat his words and he did , but again,I did not get what he said. I was embarrassed and so I said “ sorry I can not understand what you say , my English is very bad”. He replied “ only if you have an American accent”.…

    • 1367 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics