People often believe that motivation is something you feel, but that’s a mistake. Motivation isn’t an emotion like happiness or sadness. It’s something even more important.
That feeling you got when you first decided to get out of debt? That was enthusiasm, or maybe exasperation, or hope, or whatever. And it’s feelings that can be temporary.
The good news?
Motivation really can last
That’s right. While your feelings about debt reduction (or anything else) might be temporary, your motivation to become debt free can absolutely last.
That’s because motivation is a driving force; the reason behind your choice to do something.
It’s your why. The really deep one. The one that will keep you going through the tough times and see you out the other side.
Your true motivation is what you need to return to as often as it takes.
Finding your true motivation
So how do you find your true motivation? You question yourself, and explore the answers until you find the one that rings truest.
As an example, let’s go back to bathing for a second. Why might it be important to bathe daily? Maybe your answer is “To get clean.” But why do you want to be clean? Answer that, and then ask why again (and again) until you come to the real reason. In the case of bathing, maybe the real reason is that you want to fit in and be loved.
You have to look deeper to find your true motivation, even for something as simple as bathing.
Motivation matters
When it’s something that can require a long slog, like debt reduction, it’s even more important to find your true motivation.
Find the thing you’d go through fire for. The thing you want more than all the little temptations, distractions, and just plain exhaustion that may come your way.
It’s the thing that will keep you knocking out debt after debt, even when a part of you would rather do just about anything else. You’ll know it when you find it.
Return to that thing as often as necessary, and let it be the driving force that brings you to success.
I'm Jackie Beck, personal finance writer and creator of 
So true. It’s easy to lose motivation, even when it’s something you really want to do. Finding the actual motivator or smaller goals to remind yourself you’re making progress towards the larger goal is really important. If you don’t see yourself making progress you’re more likely to give up.
I agree, daily progress and those reminders do help.
That’s along the lines of some journalistic advice I once read: Ask why. And then keep asking why again, and again, until you get to the very core of it.
If you aren’t in tune with WHY you’re doing something, you’re much more likely to fail.
Exactly. And if you ARE in tune, you’re more likely to succeed, because you know why it’s so important to you.
Totally sounds like something a veteran journalist would say! After several years in the field, I can’t tell you how many times I heard that or something similar :)