I heard an interesting twist on an old question the other day. People always ask the classic, “What keeps you up at night?” question. (By the way—don’t ever ask that of your interviewer during a job interview. It comes across as cheesy and stupid.) But while the question itself is a little corny, the notion behind it is interesting and points to a dark set of issues.

It’s pessimistic. It presumes our work (or personal issues) are so all-consuming that they override our ability to sleep. The connotation is we’re dealing with such weighty issues that they torment us in our dreams and become our nightmares. The fear of failure and disaster wakes us from our deep slumber with clammy hands and sweaty brows, gasping for air.

That’s a crappy way to live. But we live that way all the time, and hyperfocusing on that type of question sets a tone for how we think about, and approach, our work and personal lives. That approach isn’t sustainable. It’s unhealthy, and—trust me—after my heart attack last year, I pay a lot more attention to the unhealthy effects of stress on my physical well-being. You have to ask yourself: Do you really want to go through life focusing on things that scare you and keep you up at night?

I certainly don’t. I used to, but I’ve now seen the light.

We need to ask ourselves a fundamentally different question, one that’s diametrically opposed to understanding the concerns that haunt the small hours. If you ask yourself this question, I’m betting that your entire outlook will change. The question we should be asking is quite simple:

What gets you out of bed every day?

This question focuses on inspiration and positivity. It’s asking us to look at the things in which we find joy and satisfaction. It gets us to explore the good parts of our lives and the exhilarating components of our work. And isn’t that much more satisfying?

Change your lens on the world from being kept up at night to wanting to get up in the morning. Think about your job. Think about your life more broadly. What are the things you look forward to every day?

If you’re having a hard time articulating what gets you out of bed every day, don’t worry. It’s probably just that you haven’t thought about that question before. Find some quiet time where you can think. Consider your work for the past year. Write down the times you were most excited. Document the most satisfying days. Don’t think about their attributes yet—just jot down those reminders of those great days.

After you’ve captured maybe 10 or 15 days you felt were great, think about what made them great. Note the type of work you were doing. List the people you were working with. Define which parts of the day were exciting, fulfilling, and interesting. Do so for every day on that list.

Now look for themes. Are your most satisfying days the ones where you worked with a particular set or type of people? Do they have a common challenge you faced? Was it a specific kind of work you were doing? I’ll venture to guess all these great days have a few things in common.

Once you’ve found those common themes, you’ll have a better sense of what gets you out of bed every day. Try to clearly define that motivation:

 “I love projects where I have to overcome a huge challenge,”
or,
 “I enjoy working with people who are struggling and helping them succeed,”
or,
“I take pride in delivering distinctive and high-quality products.”

Whatever these great days have in common is what truly drives your daily motivation. Once you identify it, you can more easily seek out work that’s linked to those satisfying characteristics. I know that I love teaching and helping other people build their skills. I’m also most satisfied with work where I can drive the outcome and have control over the end product. Luckily, I figured that out about 10 years ago and embarked on my current journey of running this leadership training firm. I couldn’t be happier.

So what is it for you? What gets you out of bed every day?

Stop worrying so much. Get some sleep. Once you’ve answered this question, you’ll need your rest every night so you can hurl yourself headlong into the work you love to do the next day.

If you’d like to really dig in and explore your own personal motivations, I encourage you to check out the first section of my book and focus on the chapter that asks, “Why do you get out of bed every day?” I hope you find the answers to that question therein.

Published April 23, 2025, in The thoughtLEADERS Brief on LinkedIn.