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- Where Do You Get Your Psychic Income?
I work hard, but what motivates me to keep at it isn’t the deadline for the next chapter of my book or a calendar filled with speaking engagements. Don’t get me wrong: I love growing my business. But I get far more out of the personal interactions—when I give someone advice, I can actually see their expression shift from confused to confident. They have an “aha moment” and suddenly see the world in a different light.
That, to me, is pure gold. It’s the psychic income that I earn.
I earn this income when:
I send out this newsletter, and someone writes a message back to me or tells me they shared it with their team or family and friends.
Someone tells me that because of my LinkedIn posts, they took a risk and landed their dream job.
I give a speech or do a workshop, and people tell me what they specifically learned and their takeaways.
Someone asks me to sign their copy of my book, which is covered with tabs, yellow highlights, and dog-eared pages.
It’s the best kind of direct deposit.
To that end, we so often think about monetary income—rightfully so. We need to earn money to live our lives. It’s highly motivating.
You do the work, you get the paycheck. If you go above and beyond, you get a bonus.
But, often, the bottom line has little soul behind it. And thus, that psychic connection to one’s purpose and to one’s sense of accomplishment can feel just as powerful as financial drive—if not more so.
You do the work, you make an impact.
That’s certainly motivating, too, isn’t it?
Ask yourself: What is your source of psychic income? Where do you get paid in this less common form of currency? Are you earning enough to sustain yourself?
The simple truth is many people could be getting psychic income in their jobs at virtually no real financial cost from their employer—yet they aren’t.
Organizations often forget to recognize individuals and appreciate them for the value they create. Employee of the Week announcements don’t cost a thing. Nor does spotlighting those who live the company values day in and day out. These actions can provide that psychic income in spades.
One suggestion I give organizations that can work in any setting is to do this:
Set up a series of paper bags, each with a person’s name written on it, and give everyone a stack of blank index cards. Take time to write a note to every participant highlighting what you appreciate about them, and then stick it in their bag. At the end, each person will have a bag filled with psychic income opportunities.
A paper bag filled with pure gold.
You don’t even need to do this in a group setting to get the benefits. Simply keep track of what happened to you that paid you in psychic income. Write them down, collect them, and reread them whenever you need a little bonus.
You’ve certainly earned it.
— Charlene
My Latest:
Are you ready to re-engineer your business strategy? I chatted with my dear friend and collaborator Katia Walsh, the Chief Digital Officer at Harvard Business School, to find out what leaders must do to prepare. Watch our complete conversation in my latest livestream, or read about her 5 key insights in my LinkedIn newsletter.
Most people working in AI are determined to make their technology as perfect as possible. They should be trying to do the opposite. It might sound counterintuitive, but in Leading Disruption, I discuss why we need to have failure at the top of our minds when designing our AI tools.
I hear this question from leaders repeatedly: “Isn’t it too early to start with generative AI?” I think I have an approach that will help answer this question. To learn about the generative AI maturity model, tune in on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on LinkedIn and Facebook Live.
If you haven’t yet taken my 30-minute LinkedIn Learning course, “Generative AI and Workforce Transformation,” what are you waiting for? It’s the most efficient, hands-on way to help you prepare for what’s to come.
Want to know how to ease the generative AI transformation? Tune into the latest episode of the FutureWork Playbook podcast, where I spoke with host Natalie Pierce all about leaders bracing for transformation, the future of work, and the importance of having a competitive edge with this profound technology.
Good Things:
What I’m reading: Leading with Vulnerability by Jacob Morgan. There’s a difference between being vulnerable and leading with vulnerability. Well-researched with over 100 leader interviews for 14,000 employees surveyed, Morgan shows how to tap into vulnerability and turn it into a superpower.
What I listen to every week: The AI Marketing Show. This weekly podcast rounds up the major generative AI announcements while up-leveling to strategic business implications. It’s highly efficient, covering a lot of information in a short time, and the conversational format keeps it all flowing.
How I’m hacking picture hanging. Go Hang It. I’ve been in my new home for six months and put off hanging my pictures and art because it involves tedious measuring and adjustments. The Go Hang It makes it super easy – and actually fun! Simply brilliant.
Thank you for subscribing to the Disruption Dispatch, which goes out to thousands of disruptors every other week to help you on your disruption journey—plus a curated recommendation list of a few Good Things I’m enjoying.
Want more? Check out my weekly publication, Leading Disruption, on LinkedIn.
Charlene Li
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