by Dr Bibiana Chan
Last month, I talked about my preparation for the Milford Sound Track hike (54 km in 3 days) carrying a backpack of 8 kg. I am going to explore ‘What makes you get up in the morning?’
Recently I had an informal mentoring session with a member. I shared with him about a Community Flower Studio (CFS) Instagram follower, a social enterprise in Bega called ‘Grow the Future’ (GTF). The workers at GTF teach young people life skills and help them find employment through farming and grow sustainable vegetables. They also sell their harvest to the public weekly on Tuesday afternoon. I said one day I would like to visit GTF. This young member, listening to stories of GTF and scanning through images on their Instagram, said he would like to visit them too. I briefly mentioned that we might be able to offer a colour sand glass workshop for their young people. I asked him to write me a proposal, and we would take it from there. The next morning, his proposal arrived in my inbox! I was taken by surprise for this to happen so promptly! I was wondering what the ‘drive’ behind his action was. One thing for sure, he was very motivated to meet ‘like-minded’ young people to ‘spark’ some synergy between CFS & GTF!
When I was studying for my PhD, many friends and colleagues asked me ‘What is the drive behind pursuing your research? ‘My own experience of clinical depression’ was my standard response. I explained that the research was an important part of my recovery journey – I wanted to find out why Chinese (and Asians) considered mental illness as so stigmatized that often professional help was not sought until crisis points!
I also used the analogy of ‘climbing Mount Everest’ to describe my PhD journey. A couple of fellow UNSW PhD candidates started a weekly afternoon tea meetup; I gave it a nickname: PhD Students Survival Group. I didn’t think I could succeed without the support of other students. We are all very ‘driven’ people; that is ‘the Need for Achievement.’ This is one of McClelland’s Theory of Needs. Achievements don’t have to very big. At my deepest clinical depression, washing the dishes (left from the night before) was the BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF MY DAY!!!
However, as many PhD students at the School of Public Health were overseas students, World Health Organization (WHO) scholarship recipients, we were also motivated by our connections with others – the Need for Affiliation. In our busy work and study schedules, we still made an effort to meet for afternoon tea to enjoy some delicious snacks (provided by fellow PhD students following a roster). Two decades later, some of us are still meeting for dinner, though infrequently.
McCleland’s third need is the need for power – asserting authority and control. I guess when you climb up the social or academic/corporate ladder, ‘power’ becomes a by-product of your status. Among my PhD buddies, we often share our passions for ‘making a difference.’ We understand too well that in order to make a difference, you have to be in a position where you have the power to do so. For example, the research topic of one doctor from Vietnam was on HIV intervention. Upon her graduation in 2008, she led a research and training team at the Hanoi Medical School Centre for Training and Research About HIV/AIDS. She played a pivotal role in running training workshops for health professionals around Vietnam about HIV interventions. This photo taken on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of this center (12th Feb 2020), Van stood right at the center.
She also took centre stage at the 70th birthday celebration of the United Nations (the one with her arm raise up high).
I visited Hanoi in Jan 2011 during Chinese New Year. Van and I met for lunch; it was a challenging time for her personally. She visited Sydney in 2017, and I showed her the new Barangaroo precinct.
In May – August 2023, Van who was the National Professional Officer for HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Program in WHO Vietnam, became the first foreign national to take up a position in Lao to join the WHO’s Lao office to train health professionals in HIV intervention. Due to the difference in geographical locations and the different research interests, our professional paths do not often cross paths. However, we are still connected by social media. Something very special about us – we share the same birthday and birth year!
When you read to this point, do you start pondering about what your drives and needs in life are? If you are or know someone aged between 14 – 25 years who may like an informal chat with me or other CFS members in various professions about ‘what are their drives in life?’, feel free to book an initial mentoring session with me. Be inspired!
Further readings:
Ikigai – find your passion and purpose the Japanese way by JNTO (Japanese National Tourism Organisation)
Motivation: The Driving Force Behind Our Actions
