Great post!

What motivates me is having long term directions I want to head. I won't even say goals, because those are supposed to be measurable, time-boxed, and broken down into actions. I'm more talking about a vision. When I started FoxyCart 10 years ago, my vision was for my wife to stay home to raise our kids once we started a family. By the time my son was born, FoxyCart made enough money for her to quit her job. I was working crazy hours with my full time job and staying up late on FoxyCart, but it was worth it. I did it for four years before I went full time also. Next was to pay off my house. We did that this year. Now it's to travel the world with my family. With three kids, that's really expensive! We're having to save a lot to pay for those plane tickets, food, place to stay, etc. But that's my current vision. Motivation comes, for me, in having a vision. It's got be intrinsic motivation, not extrinsic. You have to know yourself and what you want out of life. For me, it also really helps to be on this journey with people that matter to me. My wife. My business partner. They are part of me because we share our visions together and that sharing stirs up our own desires to accomplish more each day.

Good luck! My advice, for what it's worth, is to know yourself and know what you want out of life. Everything else will follow that vision.