What motivates you?

I’ve been asked this question several times in the last few weeks. People seem to think I must have enormous self-discipline in order to motivate myself to write day in and day out.

I’m not so sure.

I don’t think of myself as highly driven. Most days, I’d rather sleep till ten, get up, and watch The Vampire Diaries on Netflix rather than actually go work out and work and get my writing done. This isn’t because I don’t like writing: it’s because being lazy is just easier.

Still, I get up with my fiance before he goes to work, I go to the gym, I run errands, I do my work. I’m not getting paid to write at the moment. But if I don’t do it, I never will get paid. 

I also feel compelled to write the stories I’m writing. Sure, it takes some butt-kicking before I’ll actually start writing in the morning, but once I’m doing it, I love it. I wouldn’t do anything else.

In the short term, though, how do you motivate yourself from day to day, especially when there’s no paycheck or fame/fortune in sight? Brandon Sanderson opens packs of Magic cards as a motivation. Sometimes I bribe myself with soda or wine or chocolate. What do you do?