Fear, that’s the great motivator though. Fear keeps it all in check. Fear of one’s neighbor. Fear of those who don’t look like you. Fear of those who live in some barren desert halfway across the globe,” Sean continued. “Domestic terrorism, just as much as fear of those abroad has helped people accept more intrusion into their everyday lives. To accept less freedom as freedom itself.

“Given limits on the size of departments, and as we try to have some diversity in terms of research specialties, it means that having one person depart can leave a real gap, ... If we lose those three people, yes, there will be a shortfall, but it's not like there's no one here for majors to work with. But when you find a professor's work inspiring and then suddenly that person's going, it's not really satisfying to be told there are plenty of faculty left.”

“All sorts of different things motivate people to do things - and from a storytelling standpoint, if you can take a character that's grappling with issues in their lives and sort of force them to deal with them, that's a great source of drama. For me, that's why it works so well. It's because you're taking a character and forcing them to confront things in their life. And I think that's a great inspiration for a story.”

The motive that impels modern reason to know must be described as the desire to conquer and dominate. For the Greek philosophers and the Fathers of the church, knowing meant something different: it meant knowing in wonder. By knowing or perceiving one participates in the life of the other. Here knowing does not transform the counterpart into the property of the knower; the knower does not appropriate what he knows. On the contrary, he is transformed through sympathy, becoming a participant in what he perceives.

Above all, readers want useful information, whether from a road sign or an investment guide. This motive is not completely absent even in readers of fiction, although few people read Madame Bovary for straightforward advice on how not to run a marriage. At a more abstract level, readers want a narrative that makes the world seem to make sense, and they sometimes choose stories that fit with their worldview rather than stories that fit the facts.

Bliss, I don’t normally do things like that. But I was second-guessing everything about coming here, and you were everything I needed. I don’t know how many times I’ve stopped myself from coming over here and knocking on your door. And yes, seeing you with Cade was definitely motivation, but more than that... I just like you, Bliss. As a teacher. As a person. As a guy.

Forget about willpower. It's time for why-power. Your choices are only meaningful when you connect them to your desires and dreams. The wisest and most motivating choices are the ones aligned with that which you identify as your purpose, your core self, and your highest values. You've got to want something, and know why you want it, or you'll end up giving up too easily.

People tend to accept information that confirms their existing beliefs and feelings, and reject information that contradicts them. This is called “motivated reasoning,” and it means that providing people with corrective information often does not work and may even strengthen their original beliefs. This also means that when people receive new information, their existing beliefs and feelings may have more influence over whether they believe or reject this information than rational reasoning.

I do not think it irresponsible to portray even the direst futures if we are to avoid them we must understand that they are possible. But where are the alternatives Where are the dreams that motivate and inspire We long for realistic maps of a world we can be proud to give to our children. Where are the cartographers of human purpose Where are the visions of hopeful futures of technology as a tool for human betterment and not a gun on hair trigger pointed at our heads

AFFIRMATION: Letting love flow abundantly from me before me with illuminating unique and miraculous richness in every unfolding moment. Healing my hurts and inspiring my actions. Letting love live within me, that spreads beauty through all that I do and all that I am. Filling my thoughts with goodness and my intentions with kindness. Letting love brighten every corner of my world