An examination of your motivations is an examination of your soul. The why of you. Are you motivated by wealth, fame,or acceptance ? Most of us are motivated by at least one of these. Some of us, by all three. I find it a difficult thing to define my motivations. Being truly honest and forthright,even with yourself, is not an easy task. It is those motivators that cause us to react the way we do. Good and evil.
When we become motivated, to the exclusion of all others, that is when things go bad. Motivation must,by definition, move us, but should include others as well. In the history of the world only one had totally unselfish motivation. This is an ideal we should all strive toward. It is the teaching of religion.
I am more motivated by acceptance than any other factor. I take satisfaction is pleasing others and basking in their praise of my accomplishments. That was not an easy assessment to make. It sounds selfish and vain. On some level I suppose it is. It is a simple satisfaction some would call childlike. Whatever the case, I know it to be true. So there it is, for all the world to read.
Wealth and the accumulation of assets has never been a major concern of mine. Like everyone else I dream of wealth and all the good things I could do with it, but it remains a dream. I do not actively pursue that dream. Buying an occasional lottery ticket is as close as it gets. I would much rather be the employee known for doing a good job, being on time and helpful to others than being the CEO. Guess I’m just not the Alpha male I hear so much about.
As for fame, it is a fleeting thing. It comes and goes on a whim. Not a tangible thing. It would be nice to have a measure of fame. We all want to be remembered. The pursuit of fame requires a lot more effort than I am willing to put forth. I will remain satisfied with being famous in my own small world. Each of us enjoy that fame. I trust I will be remembered.
In examining your motivations one need define your expectations. It is the denial of those expectations that leads us astray. The motivators in and of themselves are not evil or good. It is our response when we are denied, that determines our mental health. By keeping our expectations as unselfish as possible, we can find satisfaction. And in that lies the key, the key to happiness.