What motivates you to continue life? It’s basically the same question as “don’t you just want to die” but the responses on that thread aren’t really what I’m looking for so I figured I’d word it differently and hope for different results.
But anything besides a fear of death. It’s too easy to say “I’m afraid to die.” 
This is going to be graded too so a full heading will be required. 
hmmm… the biological need to reproduce? personally, since im not sure of life after death, i am aware that this might be all that i get of this existance. “well, if i am to die after it all what is the point?” the point is to give that gift to someone else, or to share it with somone else.
is this what you were looking for? 
That which motivates me to live is emotion. When I was young I use to wonder and be curious about everything. This wonder and curiousity created a feeling within me. This feeling is what I yern for each day but fail in comparison to what it use to be. I don’t mean to confine my definition to just wonder and curiousity, but to everything in life. I get enjoyment from smelling the beautiful air outside, or from stretching in the morning when I wake up, reading books of interest, communicating with people, physical training is one of the best feelings (I mean working out like doing martial arts). It is the ‘pleasure’ if you will that I derive from doing these things that keeps me going from day to day.
I was depressed once, for what to me was quite a while, and all these feelings disappeared and I lost all purpose and hope in life. I guess I’m not the suicidal type because although it would have been logical if I had, I never contemplated suicide. But I remember the time I was depressed as the worst time in my life, funny thing is I can’t really say there was anything wrong in my life, other than my lack of emotion.
What’s your take?
Aside from reproduction, id say its proving people wrong. Perhaps making a differnce. Im always looking for more, i love the rush of compitition *Rocky Theam - Eye of the tiger is being blared out my brothers rooms, loving it 
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Im not ashamed to say it, but i value materialistic objects very highly, maybe more then most. Not saying i would abandon my spiritual side (so to say) for them but i see money and status very importent aspects of life in the near future. Its a balance of knowing that one day ill just be “chilling” and enjoying what ill have tomorow and getting it, motivates me today. I know i gotta work your ass off for it, and im more then willing to give up time for it. I want to be able to retire early and enjoy life with my wife with no financial worries, raising my children the best i can. I’ve watched how my farther has devoted his life to the business and making money, neglecting my mother at times and me and my siblings without a farther figure for long periods, some thing im determined not to happen to my family.
Balancing out business and pleasure is the key…
…I WANNA MAKE IT AND ITS NOT HARD NO MORE…(sorry more rocky theam stuff)
This question varies from each person as well as their age. What motivates us today, may not tommorow.
So What motivates me to continue my life?
Well I can tell you, reproduction is definatley secondary in my eyes. I dont live in anticipation to my breeding days. My life does not revolve around the thought of me bearing kids with my wife. It just doesnt.
At this point in time, Im not hear to continue the circle of life. If and when I do have kids im sure my mind setting will change, and so be it.
Personnally I live for the next party, the next BIG experience, the next year, the next girlfriend, the next year at COLLEGE (ohh man 13 more days), The thrills and excitement, the days i can say “I accomplished something”, the days I make a difference.
I live for “the ride.” I roll with the punches and deal with it.
Yes,Theres always a brighter day.
This quote partially summarizes my mind set…“youth on the prow and pleasure at the helm” [Gray]; youth . . . the glad season of life" [Carlyle]. "
Ok, this however doesnt do me complete justice. I dont consider my self a pleasure seeker/hedonist. Pardon the expression, I just like to get my rocks off occasionally. WHO DOESNT? The future motivates me.
slightly off topic Where i work, Im a lifeguard and I attend to numerous young kids(they are annoying as hell)everyday. Everyday I hear them fight and cry and I feel obligated to fix the problem. Still I go further and attempt to change their selfish fixations(ways) and ideas. Im out to change these kids, for the better. I like to see myself as a father figure to some of these kids, being that I am in their eyes.
Ok Ok to sum it all up, I basically live my life for the next day(this isnt a bad thing either) Im in search of something new.
I also feel gratification and fullfillment when pleasing others. I like to give. Self-sacrifice. I want to change people, the thought of this motivates me.
the views expressed in this post are pending
These views are subject to change with age/ knowledge.
Please take note.
What motivates you?
well for me, this depends on what your take of the afterlife is. But I’ve still got answers for both since I myself am not sure about the afterlife.
If I believe that my consciousness will end when I die, then:
There’s no point in rushing to meet death. Eventually it will come and while I’m waiting, I think I’ll go and experience life. There’s so many things to experience. I try to have lunch with many different people when I can. I enjoy the people’s company, the flavours, the smells. I try to live up to my conception of what a good life is, and to help others define for themselves a good life.
If I believe my consciousness goes somewhere (eg. reincarnate), then:
I’ll spend my time much like I would above, except I would give focus on developing myself spiritually.
A little boy ran up to a yogi and poked him in the stomach and asked, “what’s the time?”. The yogi looked at his watch and replied, “4pm my son”. The little boy made a rude face and said, “at 5pm you’ll be in hell”. And so the little boy ran, and the yogi ran after him. After a while the yogi was stopped by a fellow yogi who enquired as to why he was chasing the little boy. The yogi replied by saying that the boy told him he’d be in hell at 5pm. The other yogi replied by saying, “what’s the hurry?”
on a less philosphical note, it’s summer time, university doesn’t start until september, i’ve got all my friends here and i’m having a great time.
‘i intend to live forever or die in the attempt’ - catch 22
party on louise, and dont forget to have some excellent cheese…
It is hard to disagree with Santayana here: “That life is worth living is the most necessary of assumptions and the most unprovable of conclusions.”
Imagistar stated:
The degree to which difficulty in disagreeing lays in the definition of three key words; Life and Worth, but I must redundantly put ‘living’ as well, although many may think ‘duh’ it is just the act of ‘life’ which you have already chosen in your list. But I don’t think the answer to life and living is so easily comparible or transferable. Imagistar, if you will, please define what these three words mean to you, or maybe what they mean to Santayana, and I will see to disagreeing with it to the best of my ability. Not that this is a posted challenge, but because the concept of life being unprovable strikes vivid images in my brain and I come to recollect many thoughts, conversations, images, movies (Matrix), music, poetry,etc.
What’s your take?
My take is that the mind is a tool, not a toy. (By the way, there is no i in comparable.)
Imagistar,
thanks for the correction. Yes mind is a tool, but what about it, what are your thoughts on the quote by Santyana that you could not disagree with?
I think Santayana is right. Obviously, you disagree.
What is there about Santayana’s remark that you don’t like?
Do you think that life is worth living is a provable conclusion? If so, prove it.
Do you think that life is worth living is an unnecessary assumption? Why?
I have no idea. The reason I asked was because I go day by day and wonder why every day. Not that I want to die but not because I want to live. I guess I could go by saying what is pleasurable but that may be hard.
There are things I like and things I don’t like. Sometimes I like the things I would normally dislike. Infact I find myself trying to balance it and make it so I don’t like anything and like everything at the same time. It’s impossible and is insanity to try but I can’t get myself out of it. Biologically I can’t be what I want because of emotions. So some days life is beautiful and I want to go out and be with people. Enjoy what is morally accepted by society. Then some days death is beautiful and I want to kill things. Or enjoy the darker outcasted thoughts of society. But there are always some things I’ve stayed firm on and I don’t really know why exactly. I settle for the idea that I’ve been brainwashed because it’s easy. Like drugs. I’ve never done a drug in my life but in my head it makes sense to do them. I’m a vegetarian and haven’t eaten meat in about 5 or 6 years. I like meat. I don’t see a difference in my health and arguably meat eaters make better body builders. In fact most of the time I end up not eating mostly because I’m a vegetarian yet I still don’t eat meat.
I don’t know why I end up feeling the way I do though. It’s probably easy I haven’t spent much time on it. I guess I live for life in all its aspects or atleast try to for whatever stupid reason I come up with at the time. Can anyone relate in anyway? I’m very curious.
we are very habitual creatures. maybe you haven’t thought about or changed any of your ways because you didn’t feel the need to. i often do things out of habit that make complete and utter nonsense…
im afraid to just stop living, i know thats the same thing, but just hear me out. we build goals and friendships and maybe even enemies. whether our antagonists be individuals, or even other conflict types (larger scale maybe). that motivates me, to see the unfolding of my story. to get to the next page. im not saying that life is “just” the antisipation of the next day, or even moment, it is just part of it.
we are never truly done are we, there is always something that occupies me anyways.