Why are some people so much more motivated than others?

I think at least PART of it is genetic. When I was little and young, my parents instilled a good work ethic in me, and taught me all the right things, and the value of "industriousness." Yet I have never been a highly "motivated" or "driven" person. I did read a research paper once, in which a couple of doctors of psychology determined that approximately 80-85 of the population is "competition driven" while the remaining 15-20% are "connection driven." On a more practical level, "competitors" relate to life predominantly through "doing," while "connectors" relate to life through "being." I spent many years (I am 46) trying to follow the lessons I was raised with, and whereas I was "successful" to a degree, I was never "happy." Over the past few years, I've tried to adjust my life to where I feel like I can me more who I AM, than who I "should" be... part of which is an acceptance that I am, at heart, a "Creative Slacker." I certainly learned "how" to work hard, and I "know" how to do it-- but even though I did so every day for almost 20 years, it still NEVER was a "natural" process for me. Listen to your inner intuition-- it's right, most of the time.

I think its partly down to genetics, its well known that Asians are harder working and therefore more motivated than us westerners, but i think its partly down to finding something you are interested in doing. If you find something you are truly interested in then the motivation comes from that. We all go through stages of no motivation, yesterday i sat at my computer all day and did barely any work, today i suddenly had a surge of motivation and have been working since midday with only a few breaks, almost 12 hours of work!

I believe it has part to do with your make-up and what you were taught when you were young, I am a doer and I believe I got that from my father, he never gave up and I am very similar...