I find this question utterly hilarious because I answer this same exact question at least 3 times at work every year – once on my annual review, once on the employee engagement survey, and once during my annual stay interview.

The hilarious part is I cannot reveal the answer. I’ve always had to scratch off the answer I want to put down and write in another answer instead.

So what motivates me to work?

Money, of course! When isn’t cold hard cash a good motivator? There’s this little thing called “greed” in all of us human beings, it might be a bigger thing for some people and smaller for others. I’m not a particular greedy person but cash does help me pay bills, I can tell you that, and it certainly helps me buy food and garden supplies to keep my hobbies alive.

So what about blogging? What motivates me to write everyday? To blog on (and off) for the last 10+ years?

For one, my imagination keeps me on my toes. There will always be stories in my head keeping me up at night and there will always be movies and plots playing and brewing in my head, which will bug me until I write them down but what good is writing them without having anyone reading it? I’m human, I will always want attention. It’s too bad the only people that will give me a few seconds of their attention are stranger online.

You – my readers – are my main source of motivation when it comes to blogging, not money for sure.

As for life, what motivates me to keep on keeping on in my current life with my mom and aunt and my so-called family? Why haven’t I bolt already after writing so many posts about wanting my freedom? Or like my friend – called it quits and jumped off a tall building?

I guess it’s my stubborn optimism. It’s always been my stubbornness pushing me forward and the annoying optimistic voice in my head saying “at least you have this… at least you have that…” I guess it’s a good thing in many ways while bad in others.