Every morning your alarm clock rings a shrill melody, waking your body to a new day. For many of us, we simply subject ourselves to this several times as we press the snooze button. Eventually we pull the covers back and ready ourselves for the new day. We shower, dress and try to make sure we leave enough time for a small breakfast or coffee.

This ritual goes on each and everyday of our life. It starts at the youngest age when a parent wakes you for school. It continues through college and our working career as we become responsible for keeping ourselves on time. Even in our oldest of age, there are care givers that will wake us to remind us that our medication must be taken.

What intrigues me is the question of motivation. What is your motivation to get up each day? Why do you even bother to do what you do each day?

In this article we'll touch on the four primary motivational factors which cause us to rise out of bed each day. One of these factors will fit your personality in most cases. You will find out that in understanding what motivates us will empower us to be more successful in life.

The first factor is "profit" and is by all accounts the most obvious motivational factor. In this area of motivation, it is the yearning for success with money or possessions. This factor can also include the acquiring of wealth, additional income and growth of assets. These type of people yearn for more and more in material ways. Every morning they awake with the goal of gaining more than what was acquired the day before.

A second factor is one called "influence". These type of people rise and fall each day with a hunger for power in life. They seek control in the everyday competition of life. In having control, these people feel a real sense of independence. You may find top corporate leaders and politicians to fall into this category. Yet it touches all social and income levels of people. Without out control, the day is not complete nor is it a success for these "influence" motivated people.

"Recognition" is a third factor which motivates people to search out notoriety in their lives. You could easily place celebrities from film and music into this category. It is respect, admiration, and esteem that generate excitement and success in the mind of these folks. Others must "like" and "accept" you in order for the day to have been successful. So seeking recognition is what pushes these type of people.

A last motivation item would be "internal" factors to drive you out of bed each day. Here we are speaking of being driven by your morals. This could include the words duty, honor, or intellect. If you are a philosophical type of person, most likely you are motivated by these types of internal factors. There are great philanthropists which are easily placed in this category of simply doing what is right and good for others. Their success is in accomplishing at least one good and just thing each and everyday. In its simplest form, a mother rising each day with the goal of raising her children is motivated by internal factors also.

One could argue that there are many more factors of motivation in life. The nuance of how many times you hit the snooze button on your alarm can be quite varied. But in the end, these four general factors will cover your motivation. Once you find a factor that fits your personality, you can start to concentrate on those things which will enhance your success in life.

If recognition is your motivating factor, then it might be best not to seek control through influence. Use your energy to gain the recognition you seek. If your motivation is one of duty and honor, seeking profit in everything that you do will only burden you with unneccessary complication.

Many of the factors can co-exist, but knowing what motivates you is the same as understanding who you are. In doing so, you will become more successful in what you do. In doing so you will chart a course for a great life, your best life. And by all means, hit that snooze button as many times as your motivation will allow.