Sometimes professional service can be draining—especially with all the high demands, compressed deadlines and too much to do. When you wear down, you turn inward, lose energy and put things off. How do others do it?

Having coached hundred of professionals over the years, I can report that there is one thing that people have that gets them through the difficult times: a reason. It’s really common sense—you do something because your reasons to do it are stronger than the reasons not to. The stronger the reasons, the less influential your weariness has on you. Therefore, if you want to do something more consistently and with more energy, you have to find the reasons that matter to you. And you can’t use success, money or image. They may be good reasons, but they aren’t personal enough.

Here are some personal reasons that others have discovered for themselves:

I said I would and I’m protecting my credibility.

My team is counting on me.

I’m competitive so I’ll conquer the challenge.

I really like what I’m doing.

I need to prove I can, so I will.

It’s just the right thing to do.

It represents who I am and what I stand for.

If I don’t, it won’t satisfy me.

With the right personal reasons, you will put forth enormous effort.  You will spend time with clients, work with staff and colleagues and go the extra mile to keep your standards of excellence high.

Without the right personal reasons, you are less interested in putting forth that effort, as evidenced by your defensiveness (I did everything I was supposed to), shifting responsibility (it’s someone else’s fault), or dismissal (they will get over it). You settle for just doing the minimum, hoping to get by.

This week, think about your reasons—your personal reasons. Once you identify them, you can use them to propel you and sustain you through your weariness. Just remember—the reasons have to mean something to you, not to somebody else. So make them personal.