At work- art. Seriously. I see my clients as three dimensional canvasses, and I try to make them as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I also have a very strong work ethic, and I think if you do something, you should do it to the best of your abilities. I also hate it when people aren't wowed by my work, so I suppose a healthy chunk of ego is involved.....

At home? My kid.

It's a super question for those who don't like their jobs. Because how do we all get along in them, anyway? I've been in a really horrible OK-pay job for two and a half years, and there was a period when I was only doing the minimum required. As it turns out, the minimum required isn't actually the minimum required. If you do it long enough, they begin to notice and you have to step up the pace to ensure that you can pay your bills.

Paying my bills. That motivates me.

But as for my evening work? My writing? My miserable day job inspires me-- I don't want to do it anymore. My desire to be creative inspires me. The Artist's Way inspires me. (And it might inspire you, too.)

Perhaps what you're really discovering, Chris, is that you envision a different kind of life for yourself. Something creative. Something that allows you to use your skills for good and not for evil. (Oh, wait, that's just me; insurance is the chosen career of Satan, you know.) And I encourage you to try to motivate yourself in your regular job-- but to also think outside of it. Have you ever wanted to write a novel? A travel guide? Have you ever wanted to be a silversmith? A filmmaker? A pastry chef? It is never too late.

A swift kick to the ass has always worked well for me.

People inspire me. Not everyone...
People with life in them that is unfamiliar to what I see everyday.
and music.

Sometimes, it will hit just right, and when I hit a rut at work, I need to listen to music to work without thinking how much I dislike what I am doing. Bless my ipod.

but then motivates me to do what? inspires me to what end? Sometimes, only to finish the project.
Other times... Out come the paints.

p.s. .... but I totally agree with that mouse comment.

I'm going to have to disagree with the last part. At some point it will be too late. For all of us. If we find ourselves living a life that is less than fulfilling, perhaps what we need isn't motivation to do something only that only marginally satisfies us, perhaps what we need is something different.

A career change isn't always practical at any given moment, but if there are things you'd rather be doing then you can always take a class or befriend people in that field, etc. At least then you're working towards fulfilling your dream. If you don't then one day you're going to wake up as an old man with fingers too bony and arthritic to do anything really useful.

oddly enough, what I do to motivate myself at times is....well, nothing.

let it all pile up to the point where things are behind, stress levels are all but at heart attack levels, everyones deadline is close at hand and everyone wants theirs yesterday. eventually it works to start the ball rolling. once its rolling, I can usually maintain that for awhile and not only clear out what Ive let (sometimes intentionally, sometimes not) build up but surpass it with ease preparing for the next lack of motivation crisis. in the meantime, I've usually gained so much speed that I can steamroll through things for at least a few months.

it'll likely shorten my life overall, but you didnt ask that. stress.....THE ultimate motivator!

(oh yeah, and really really strong coffee)

Hmm I nominate Tracilicious to play the Grim Reaper for the Annual Lot Halloween party - but her fatalism reasonate with this aging existentialist - at least at the moment.

But it's not that I hate my job, in fact I've had some fun with it. But it's changing now, and I can sit aand wait patiently for things to happen and fall into place (which may never happen) or I can be a bit more proactive. Unfortunately, if I look at what I must do to ensure my own success and happiness, it seems that as well as running faster than the slowest field mouse, I may have to trip a few of the field mice next to me. Living in a corporate world I know this stuff goes on all the time, but I'm not sure I have the stomach to engage in such ruthlessness, on the other hand the field mouse next to me is eyeing my stride making sure I'm always one step behind him.

Damn these public boards that makes me post in metaphore. Ah well, at least it keeps me thinking creatively eh?

Doh!!!
Coffee!! I forgot about that!

I had an acquaintance who was a song writer. Some people would ask him what his inspiration was - some horrible tragedy, deep beliefs, personal experience, whatever. He would simply say "I'm hungry and I need money to eat."

Well, at the very least the Grim Threatener. (Have you seen the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy? That is a hilarious show!) I don't actually want to kill people, but breathing down their necks would be pretty fun. ;) And you're not that old...yet. You should feel some extra pressure. As an atheist you can't even look forward to an afterlife. :p

Ugh, those corporate dillemmas really suck. I think for me it would depend on whether I just needed to do my best and be sure to do better than the next mouse, or whether I needed to set a few traps to catch the other mice. I can outperform mice, but killing them would probably haunt me. If they were blind, then I could certainly chop off their tails with a carving knife. Oh wait, that's an entirely different scenario.