The Mojo Scorecard

In thinking about flight attendants and waiters, it’s clear that the job itself does not define Mojo. After all, the great and not-so-great flight attendants are doing identical jobs. Mojo has to be about something else, I concluded. But how do you measure it?
That’s when it hit me. We all have two forms of Mojo in our lives: Professional Mojo, which is a measure of the skills and attitudes we bring to any activity, and Personal Mojo, which is measured by the benefits that a particular activity gives back to us.
Within this framework, it was easy to construct a simple test we can use to measure our Mojo when preparing for any specific activity. Five qualities we need to bring to an activity in order to do it well are: motivation, knowledge, ability, confidence, and authenticity. Likewise, five benefits we may receive from the activity after doing a job well are: happiness, reward, meaning, learning, and gratitude.
Here’s the test. Think of a typical day in your life. Pick one of your more important activities. Rate yourself on each of the ten questions on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. A perfect Mojo score would be 100. 

Professional Mojo: What I Bring to This Activity

1. Motivation: You want to do a great job in this activity. (If you are just “going through the motions” when you are engaged in this activity, your score would be low.)

2. Knowledge: You understand what to do and how to do it. (If you are unclear on processes or priorities, your score would be low.)

3. Ability: You have the skills needed to do the task well. (If this activity does not fit your talents or competencies, your score would be low.)

4. Confidence: You are sure of yourself when performing this activity. (If you feel unsure or insecure, your score would be low.)

5. Authenticity: You are genuine in your level of enthusiasm for engaging in this activity. (If you are “faking it” or being insincere, your score would be low.)

Personal Mojo: What This Activity Brings to Me

6. Happiness: Being engaged in this activity makes you happy. (If it is not stimulating, creates misery or is otherwise non-joyful, your score would be low.)

7. Reward: This activity provides material or emotional rewards that are important to you. (If the activity is unrewarding or if the rewards do not matter to you, your score would be low.)

8. Meaning: The results of this activity are meaningful for you. (If you do not feel a sense of fulfillment or that you’re contributing to a greater good, then your score would be low.)

9. Learning: This activity helps you to learn and grow. (If you feel that you are just “treading water” and not learning, your score would be low.)

10. Gratitude: Overall, you feel grateful for being able to do this activity and believe that it is a great use of your time. (If it seems like a poor use of your time or you regret doing it, your score would be low.)

That’s it. A fairly simple test: ten questions that you can answer in a short period of time.
One caveat: Although it’s a simple test, it’s not necessarily easy—largely because it’s a self-assessment test, with no right or wrong answers. You determine your own score. But that virtue is precisely what makes it hard. Many successful people have a tendency to overestimate their strengths and underestimate their weaknesses. We often think we’re smarter, better looking, and more accomplished than the facts may bear out. Keep that in mind as you assess your Mojo. If, for example, you award yourself a 10 for knowledge or ability in a specific activity, that 10 may be a red flag that you’re letting ego trump the truth. Most of us have room for improvement, especially when it comes to knowledge and ability. Even Tiger Woods might hesitate giving himself a 10 in ability for certain aspects of being a golfer. So step back and ask yourself if your colleagues would award you the same score. If you still believe it, so be it. Remember, no one else is seeing the test results. They’re for your eyes only. There’s no good reason to lie to yourself. This is for you!
This is not a one-time test. Because it takes so little time, it’s something you can—and should—do throughout the day as you participate in different activities. (In fact, you can download a Mojo Scorecard at mojothebook.com.) The Mojo Scorecard is no different than a golfer’s scorecard. In golf you write down your score against par after every hole, then add up your strokes at the end of the round to gauge how you did. The card lets you see where you did well during the round and where you faltered. You can do the same with the Mojo Scorecard. After every discrete event or project during the day—whether it’s a two-hour lunch meeting, a five-minute phone call with a customer, a half-hour session to return e-mails, or the end of a long trip—jot down your scores in all ten areas. When you finish your next activity, score yourself again. Do this until the end of your working day. Then add up the scores and divide by the number of activities to determine your average Mojo score for one full day at work.
Do this for a few days and patterns will emerge. You’ll see areas of strong Mojo and areas of weakness. You’ll also discover which recurring activities provide you with the most satisfaction.

Life is good.

Marshall

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MOJO: How to Get It, How to Keep It, and How to Get It Back When You Lose It!
What Got You Here Won't Get You There

http://www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com/mojo