TotD: Self-Motivation

I am a people pleaser and enjoy completing tasks and projects, for others, to the best of my ability. I take lots of pride in what I've created and am a perfectionist.

The problem is that when it comes to self-motivation; I often feel like I have very little. I am motivated by what others tell me to do, but I somehow struggle with demanding that I do something for myself. I know what you're thinking, as my yoga instructors have often said, "demanding" is not what you should be doing, but I am sorry to say that gently asking myself to get my butt off the couch, just isn't cutting it.

Becoming an adult, people often tell you: "Now there's no one to hold your hand; you'll have to do these things yourself." While I have trepidation, like any person, about certain 'adult' things like going to the dentist alone, I can't say that it's fear or first-time jitters holding me back. I am... missing a motivator.

For years I've had a parent, a teacher, an instructor, a professor, a doctor, a lawyer, a politician telling me what I should do. If you look at your childhood, if you had helpful parents like mine, you probably led a very structured life, but who motivates me now?

The answer is of course: me. It would be easier to ask someone else to force me to do things, (Ex: "Mom, can you please remind me to write my blog entries and yell at me if I haven't in a while?") but as an adult, my mother, my friend, my husband or any other person I could ask should not have to deal with "being the bad guy."

I should be the bad guy! 

Except... that's not very good motivation.

So here's the thought of the day:

Is Self-Motivation rooted solely in the extreme desire/need to change your current circumstances? 

Does one need to be uncomfortable to be self-motivated?