What Motivates You?

[innerSpaceman]

Well, I'll re-rail to say that, unfortunately, nothing inspires me about anything that has the purpose of making money. Even the creativity of art that is a guaranteed inspiration and motivator for me ... fails when money is the payoff in addition to creation.

At work, all I can rely on for motivation - - and it usually suffices for my employers and my sense of integrity if not for any soulful satisfaction - - is my perfectionism.

Outside of money-making, there is plenty of motivation and inspiration. I am motivated to create things, often odd-ball things ... and when I am doing so, I am practically obsessed (so very far beyond motivated). I am inspired by people I know, and they make me want to improve my life in ways I would never be able to do without their inspiration. In particular, I find the relative mellowness of my boyfriend and the genial mellowness plus sharp wit of the O.P. of this thread to be inspiring of a calm beauty that is foreign to me, but which I would like to emulate.


When all is said and done with our existence, what will we have valued of what we do for a living vs. what we do with our lives? It's our growth and our love and our spirit that matters in the end (and all the while) ... though there can be pride in accomplishments that have also put bread on the table, I suppose.