mo·ti·va·tion
noun
noun: motivation; plural noun: motivations
the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. "escape can be a strong motivation for travel"
the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. "keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation"
The two definitions above are interconnected; when you truly understand your reasons for wanting to reach a certain goal, (your "why"), your willingness or your desire to do what it takes to reach your goal will naturally increase.
When you pick your goal based on social or cultural norms or pressure from the people around you—like deciding you need to lose 15 pounds because you think people will like you better once you're lighter—this goal isn't something you really thought about, you don't have any other reason to want it other than to receive positive affirmation from others, so chances are you're not going to be driven to get up and do the work necessary to achieve this every. single. day.
The goal above is driven by external pressure, or external motivation, and as such it isn't something you are truly passionate about, or something that is truly meaningful to you.
When you pick a specific goal, ask yourself why.
Why is this goal important to me?
What will be different about me when I achieve it?
How will it change my life, inject meaning into each day, make me a better person?
This week, I want each of you to pick up a notebook or a notepad, and start writing down your reasons. Doesn't matter if these reasons are just a rough draft right now—simply start "dumping" all the things you can think of onto the paper, and see what comes up for you.