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The mnemonic WIIFM stands for What’s In It For Me? It may sound selfish, but in terms of getting things done, WIIFM is important because it can provide you with a motivation to want to do something, as opposed to doing something simply because you think you have to do it.

It may seem odd to be talking about having to find out “what’s in it for me”, but the reality is that every job has its good bits and its bad bits: things that we like doing and things that we hate doing. Usually the WIIFM good bits of a job are fairly easy to find:

• I enjoy it.

• I find it easy.

• It makes me look good/feel good.

• It moves me closer to promotion.

one minute wonder WIIFMS are very rarely about financial reward, so think outside the money-box!

“Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice and need” Voltaire, French Enlightenment writer

Finding the WIIFM factor in the bad bits of the job is often more difficult. However, if we can identify the WIIFM it helps motivate us to do the bad bits properly and quickly.

You may find the WIIFM in one of two areas of the bad bits of your job.

Positive WIIFMs such as:

• I don’t enjoy it but it makes me look good.

• I don’t enjoy it but it brings me closer to promotion.

• I’m not very good at it but by doing it I get better.

Nastiness avoidance WIIFMS such as:

• Once I’ve done it, it is out of the way for another month/quarter/year.

• If I can get it done the boss will stop hassling me to do it.

• As soon as it is out of the way I can stop worrying about it.

• If I do this then I’m safe from the authorities/criticism.

If you can find the “what’s in it for me?” factor you can motivate yourself to do almost anything.