Episode 304: How to Develop Your Natural Drive

Regardless of how much natural talent you have, if you don't have an internal engine that drives you to do more and persevere, success is blurry.

In this episode of The Intelligent Vocalist podcast, John Henny brings us another concept that would help us attain a growth mindset: drive. He shared with his listeners how having a natural drive is essential for achieving success.

This article will look into the meaning of natural drive and how to create it to see how we can use it as musicians, aspiring singers, and even individuals. So, continue reading to learn more.

We can define drive as an internal motivation that compels us to do more and allow us to strive for success. It is the energy and enthusiasm that we have to take on challenges and push ourselves further. Additionally, a combination of ambition, passion, and determination helps us stay focused on our goals.

Drive can be seen in different forms, such as ambition, perseverance, resilience, and self-discipline. John refers to this as the "internal engine" that pushes a person to achieve more and endure.

He takes as an example what took place when The Beatles, a world-renowned English rock band, appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in the 1960s. In the show hosted by "the king of Sunday night television," over 70 million Americans amassed around their televisions to witness four young men make history. Many of them were so inspired that they bought guitars.

However, the deal with the growth mindset culture is not really about who bought guitars with them after learning about The Beatles or any other bands. Instead, it was a matter of how many of those who learned to play managed to know more than a few chords.

How many of them made use of practical tools to improve in playing the instrument? Did any of those who bought guitars make it to the recording industry?

The answer to these questions is that the ones who made consistent efforts and took a step further were the ones with a natural drive. They had an internal engine that pushed them to practice, learn more, and strive for success.

As a singer, you're probably aware that it takes time to develop your voice. It is, in reality, a long-term objective. Singing never stops, but no one becomes dramatically better overnight. With that, motivation and drive are unequivocally essential.

So, you may wonder what factors push someone to have the right drive rather than some false growth mindset. How have successful people and singers established one of the basic qualities needed to be where they are right now?

John stated on the podcast that achieving motivation is essentially a result of the intrinsic reward of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that enables the brain to communicate within itself and is commonly linked with happiness. Certain areas of the brain have an excessive amount of it, making it an exciting chemical.

He asserted that dopamine is the key to creating natural drive. People can increase their dopamine levels by engaging in activities that are enjoyable and rewarding. This could include anything from playing a sport, reading a book, or learning how to sing.

Whatever we want to achieve, the learning process takes a long time. This drive and growth mindset comes from embodying basic characteristics such as consistency and resilience.

Consistency is for days when dopamine doesn't kick in right away. Resiliency is for personal development when working on our goals doesn't always give an immediate result.

As stated, learning to sing and improving one's voice is a never-ending process, but no one becomes substantially better overnight. Understanding how dopamine works and engaging in activities that bring joy and gratification can help motivate us to reach our goals.

There are incredible people in the world who can propel themselves and perform despite having no prior experience. Rather than having a fixed mindset in assuming they need the expertise to do a good job, they viewed the situation from a different perspective.

People with a healthy dose of the natural drive will look at the situation and say, "Hey, I don't have performance experience, and I'm aware of that. Perhaps this will not be my best performance for the first few, but when I get through these, I'll gain confidence and improve."

To get our brain's reward system to work for us, we must hack it a little. John shared a few ways we can establish a growth mindset and the natural drive to reach our goals. These are also considered rewarding efforts that we can use as practical life skills.

One of the building blocks of having a healthy body is exercise. At the same time, exercise is a great way to increase dopamine levels and establish natural drive. Regular physical activity can help lessen stress, improve mood, and stimulate energy levels. Additionally, it can help us stay focused on our goals by providing a sense of accomplishment when we reach them.

Exercising can help singers improve their stamina and breath support, athletes improve their performance, and students improve their academic performance.

One of the most common misconceptions some people have is that it's worth flexing when they only get a few hours of sleep in a day. That isn't something to be proud of. Sleep is essential for our bodies to function correctly. It helps us stay focused and alert, and it also helps us maintain a healthy lifestyle.

When we don't get enough sleep, our dopamine levels drop significantly, making it difficult to stay motivated and productive. To establish natural drive, it's essential to make sure that we get at least seven hours of sleep each night. John mentioned women are required to sleep more than men. This is because of the higher risk associated with health issues.

A good night's sleep gives us the energy and focuses to power through the day since our mind and body are more rested. Not getting adequate sleep can lead to decreased productivity, resulting in procrastination and a lack of motivation. Therefore, rest is important for brain health and our overall well-being.

In the podcast, John emphasized the significance of having a nutritious diet. Consuming nutritious foods can provide energy and help us focus on our objectives. To stay healthy and perform well, singers need to eat a balanced diet that helps them maintain a healthy body.

It is vital to eat a healthy diet consisting of a variety of proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and moderate amounts of healthy fats and oils in order to maintain a healthy voice.

Eating nutritious foods can also help increase dopamine levels, which will help us stay motivated and productive. Additionally, limiting our intake of processed foods is significant as these are usually high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

John shared with us in the podcast that dopamine levels are decreased by eating a lot of saturated fat. This emphasizes how getting a healthy diet is crucial.

John also emphasized how meditating and listening to good music helps develop our natural drive and a positive attitude in life. Meditation is a fantastic way to reduce stress and anxiety, which can help us stay focused on our goals. It also helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings, allowing us to manage them better.

Although we don't always think we have the time and luxury to do this, meditating is an achievable skill that can benefit us with just a few minutes a day, and can be easily incorporated into one's daily life.

Listening to good music can also help improve mood and focus. Music has the ability to change our moods and can be used as a tool to help us stay motivated.

John believes that working with a teacher or coach will give you the motivation to succeed. Making the commitment to take the lesson will inspire you and keep you motivated. This feeling of not wanting to let your teacher down will also grow.

When you make the commitment to take lessons from a teacher or coach, it creates internal pressure that encourages you to work hard. At the same time, you also learn to socialize and be open to someone.

Another social aspect you can do to establish a natural drive is to become a part of a singing group. This will help you stay motivated and inspired by the people around you. It also provides a sense of accountability, as you are more likely to practice and work hard when you know that other members of the group are counting on you.

The idea of belongingness also emerges as you become a part of something bigger than yourself. This will help you stay motivated and inspired to work hard and achieve your goals.

It is important to remember that creating a natural drive requires dedication and hard work. It is something that takes time to be achieved. However, with a natural drive, a growth mindset, and practical strategies, you can create a robust internal motivation that will help you stay focused on your goals.