--- title: How to Discover Your Intrinsic Motivation | The Sales Blog description: I have noticed something about people who have an intrinsic motivation. They either faced adversity when they were young or they know what they want now. image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Untitled-design-Jun-11-2021-04-12-32-74-PM.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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They either faced adversity when they were young or they know what they want now. Not everyone who faces adversity is intrinsically motivated, some find excuses where others find the way forward. And not everyone knows what they want, even if they are four or more decades into their lives. Let’s focus only on not being motivated because you don’t know what you want. I saw this quote go by on social media that said something about this not being a dress rehearsal for your life. This is your one and only life, make of it what you will. And that is my point here: you need to make your life what you will. It’s yours to do with what you wish. ## Drift Not There is a certain class of people I describe as [drifters](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/stop-drifting). They resemble a piece of wood that is drifting along with the current of the river, first this way and then that, pushed along and being taken for a ride. Because they haven’t determined for themselves what they want their life to be, they settle into to an uninspiring life of mediocrity and comfort. These drifters are alive, but they are not really living. If you ask to see their goals, they will not be able to produce them. They wait for the week to end, looking forward to Fridays and dreading Mondays. They have a job, but they do not have work, something they do with passion. You end up a drifter when you don’t know what you want. I mean really know what you want. [![alt text image of do something right now](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/11022017-do-something-today-TW-720x360-1.jpg?width=720&height=360&name=11022017-do-something-today-TW-720x360-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/11022017-do-something-today-TW-1.jpg) ## Intentional Design What do you want your life to look like? What do you want to do? Who do you want to become? If you don’t decide these things for yourself, you will continue to drift, going where other people and external forces take you. You can be more, do more, have more, and contribute more. But not until you answer the questions as to who you want to be, what you want to do, what you want to have, and how you want to contribute. No one can do this work for you, and if you lack motivation it is because you haven’t done the [work](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/how-to-be-passionate-about-your-work) to design the life you want and put the effort into building it. Designing your life is intentional. It is not the product of a series of happy accidents. ## A Single Question The question you have to answer to find your motivation is, “What do you want?” When you answer this question honestly, you will have found the source of your motivation. If the answer doesn’t motivate you, then it isn’t what you want. And you may be drifting. So, what do you want? ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2017](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2017) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on November 6, 2017 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-05T3:59:57 AM", "datePublished" : "2017-11-06 08:00:30", "description" : "I have noticed something about people who have an intrinsic motivation. 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