From Drive to Devotion
There’s a certain electricity in ambition. It makes things happen. It wakes us up early, drives us through the long commute, and fuels that quiet inner voice that says, “You were made for more than this.”
Most of us start our working lives powered by that spark. We see where we are, where others seem to be and where we want to be, and the space between our current and desired becomes our fuel.
For a while, it works. The world rewards motion. Promotions, titles, raises, recognition — each one offers proof that we’re moving in the right direction.
But eventually the movement starts to feel different. The drive that once motivated begins to wane. The finish line keeps moving, and the reward that once satisfied starts to taste thin.
That’s when the question shifts. It’s no longer Was I made for more? but Why is this happening? and Who is this for?
Scripture tells us that work was never meant to be self-contained. We were created to tend, to serve, to build for the good of others. The Bible says that our work has meaning when it’s given back — when it becomes devotion rather than demand.
That’s the turning point, the one we don’t talk about enough. Drive is about distance; devotion is about direction.
Drive pushes us toward something we want; devotion draws us toward Someone we love.
The late Viktor Frankl once wrote that those who have a “why” can bear almost any “how.” He learned that truth in the hardest of places, but it holds true in everyday work as well. When we know why we labor — and more importantly, who it serves — the weariness begins to lift.
Ambition itself isn’t the enemy. It just needs new coordinates.
When drive finds devotion, energy stops leaking and starts lasting.
When the effort is no longer about proving our worth but offering it, something shifts.
Work becomes steadier. Lighter. More human.
So maybe the next time we feel that familiar push — the need to run faster, climb higher, do more — it’s worth asking:
What if the goal isn’t to get ahead, but to give well?
Next time in the Work Matters series, we’ll talk about what happens after devotion takes root — the quiet reward of service.
I’ll be sharing more reflections like this on work, calling, and leadership. If you’d like to follow along, the best way is to connect with and follow me on LinkedIn.
