Offliners: What keeps you motivated?

another warrior mentioned it, and that is

being "unemployable"

I don't like people telling me what to do
I can see business inefficiencies, and can rock the boat.

I don't do things just for money.

small business people, need people like me, so they can run their business.

being in sales, making sales that any business needs, makes me an business Asset.

I like all kinds of industries, and fun for me to get to know it.

being right, about good biz. people, emerging markets and companies, and long term trends.

doing what most Can't or Won't , which is sales & marketing.

Happy new year, Qu4rk!!!

The freedom lifestyle I want to live.

That in-and-of-itself keeps me motivated because being able to do what I want when I want can not be achieved any other way.

Money & money.

The guy in the mirror.

I would say also that it's the burning desire to be self-employed and do what I want to do with my days/hours, etc. To have that freedom and more time for important things like family..

My opinion, and this isn't necessarily the truth but it is the truth for me, is that if you need to be motivated, this isn't for you.

I don't need to be motivated. I AM motivated.

Perhaps the problem is you get married to your business idea. I see this all the time on Shark Tank. I'm not at all married to any idea. If one doesn't work, I'll move on to the next. Or if one does work but I get tired of it, I'll get rid of it and move on to the next.

You see these guys on Shark Tank who are so reluctant to give up 20% or 30% equity in their business--they don't realize, because they're married to that one idea, that by plugging into a Shark's distribution channels they'd be getting 70% of a ton of money rather than 100% of nothing...and then could use that huge profit to start Business #2 of which they own 100% and are now educated on who to talk to and what to do. Duh.

Ordinarily I would recommend holding onto equity, but in these cases where you can get huge benefits overnight, it's a different story. The Sharks are so far ahead of most of us the value of plugging into their distribution network is huge and well worth the equity trade. Or you could go with one of Mr. Wonderful's perpetual royalty offers.

This exemplifies the difference in beliefs pretty well, I think.

When the shit hits the fan motivation? Testosterone.
At the root of my core is an I refuse to lose back up system.

If it all boiled down to me and another guy on a treadmill and the first one that stopped lost they would have to remove my dead body before I would quit.

I have used running, boxing and weight lifting all my life as an outlet for that energy so that I would not smack someone through a wall if they stood in the way of a goal I was trying to achieve as society seem to frown on that type of behavior. :-)

Motivation to do work you hated as it was your only choice at the time?
Raised 6 kids, demands on money were high. When I was younger and had to do things that required "motivation" like working on apartment building roofs when I was afraid of heights I pictured real things in my mind like putting a plate of food on the table. To be honeset it was not really motivation I needed but I had to focus on something other than the thoughts of falling off of a 24 story building.

Just general motivation? Now this could be a book! I have observed that people that constantly require general motivation have created a life for themselves that is not in tune with what they at their core want so one set back in one area sets them on a downward spiral.

The man who loses it because that deal did not close today did NOT really lose it over the deal. He lost it because he is sad at being away from his wife again or missing his kids birthday to try to close the deal.

I just naturally feel motivated and excited every morning my feet hit the floor. You realize one morning that won't happen right?

For the past 16 years I have not required much "motivation" because to me
motivation = talking yourself into doing shit you hate and I don't do much of that other than perhaps attending the dentist.

My life priorities rules my work not the other way around.
It is the greatest gift that being self employed and working online can give you.

If I lose a deal later this afternoon from home working in my slippers while my wife is trying on her new dress for use to go out dancing later and one of my kids stops by to just hang out because we get along do you think I will care or even remember that deal tomorrow?

Personally if I ever find myself needing to be constantly motivated I will ask myself why am I doing and what are the real issues causing my lack of energy.

Honestly my children keep me motivated because I don't want them to struggle with finances like I have in the past. It's so lovely to wake up and not have to answer to a boss, have plenty of money in the bank, and your kids are taken care of and your family. I thank God every day for this.

I don't really have any singular motivation.
Instead I have a fire in my belly that pushes me to build and create.

I have some really long term plans and every step I take and every step
I have taken since the late 90's gets me closer to fulfilling those plans.

When I get derailed or when I fail ... I get depressed for a few hours
and then i pretend it did not happen.

I used to get depressed for months. It took me a long time to understand
business failure did not equal personal failure and that's what I was doing,
taking it all personally.