The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal

by Jim Loehr

Building rituals requires defining very precise behaviors and performing them at very specific times—motivated by deeply held values.

the connection to a deeply held set of values and to a purpose beyond our self-interest.

The key muscle that fuels spiritual energy is character—the courage and conviction to live by our values, even when doing so requires personal sacrifice and hardship. Supportive spiritual muscles include passion, commitment, integrity and honesty.

integrity has to do with reliably living up to our commitments, honesty

spirituality as “knowing our deepest selves and what is sacred to us.”

“Intrinsic” motivation grows out of the desire to engage in an activity because we value it for the inherent satisfaction it provides.

But it is not necessarily the nature of the job that determines how meaningful and motivating it is. The challenge we all face is to find ways to use the workplace as a forum in which to express and embody our deepest values. We can derive a sense of purpose, for example, from mentoring others, or being part of a cohesive team, or simply from a commitment to treating others with respect and care and from communicating positive energy. The real measure of our lives may ultimately be in the small choices we make in each and every moment.

It is no coincidence that every enduring spiritual tradition has emphasized practices such as prayer, retreat, contemplation and meditation—all means by which to quietly connect with and regularly revisit what matters most.

that they set a specific start time—8:00 A.M.—and make it sacrosanct.

Designing a positive behavior to prepare for a particular situation is sometimes called “priming.”