Is it money? Your peers? A desire for greatness? Love of learning? Your family? Presumably a combination of things.
I like learning, but I also really want to get a prestigious, high-paying job I can enjoy and feel like I’m helping people with. Some of my reasons are sort of vain, like wanting to look successful to people. Others are more altruistic, like wanting to make enough money to do philanthropy one day.
It depends on the subject. But I’m very insecure about my intelligence and the possibility that I’m boring, so whenever something I learned about comes up in conversation I like to seize that opportunity.
Fear of failure.
Fear of being stuck as an employee for my entire life without being able to retire before my 50s.
Fear of not being able to help low-income kids from my country to get into higher education with full scholarships.
Fear of not being in one of the first private space trips.
Fear of not being able to travel around the world.
Fear of leaving the earth without trying to leave any kind of legacy.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that most people work in the same company during their lifetime, have kids, get a huge debt, and maybe travel to a couple of countries, so there is nothing bad on it.
Life is too precious for not trying (at least) to do and to be the best on every aspect of it. I think that one of the reasons why I did my best during high-school was because the more I knew new things, the more I realized that we are basically a miracle, and that is why we should behave as such.
Best regards 
The feeling that my dad’s family telling my mom she’s not educated and once I get my degree and hopefully M.D, I will rub it in their faces >:)
the face that my parents are paying so much money for me to be able to attend the school of my dreams, I don’t want to let them down
knowing that once i graduate I will always have a degree to fall back on to get a good job. And the education really.
Family - both my current family, for whom I want to make proud, and my future-someday family for whom I’d like to be able to support and provide for.
Going back for a second bachelor’s has changed my perspective on college. The first time, I had the help of my parents. This time it’s all on me.
It’s a huge time and money investment. I do not take what I do lightly. I am hoping that one day I’ll dig my girlfriend and I out of our current situation and we can finally get married and start a family. Right now, we’re just too poor with what career prospects we’ve got.
The knowledge that I know my academic and intellectual limitations and that limits are only in our head therefore I can do whatever I set my mind to.
In short, I am confident in my abilities.
Bathing in the blood of my enemies
Because out-of-state tuition is a pain for my family, there is a very real chance that I may have to transfer back to my in-state flagship at the end of this year if I don’t raise my grades to the level my dad desires. Leaving my school for ANY reason is the last thing I want to do.
Also, a genuine desire to be great and to pay it forward to my parents.
I am sorry to hear that @LBad96 as I know how much you love your school. Good luck to you this year.
@twogirls it’s okay. I performed well last year, but I do need to work harder this year. I have no issue with that, as it lights a fire under me to up the ante. Thank you.
Transferring out of this community college ASAP
My post will definitely qualify for the top 10 cringiest(think I spelt that wrong) in some youtube video but I want to change the world. Sad part is…I don’t know what the heck I want to do yet 
@alwaysstandup I’m with you there, and that’s definitely not cringeworthy, it’s a good thing. I, too, want to make the world a better place, in particular by reducing the massive environmental impact people in the US have. It disgusts me, and so do the habits of a lot of Americans. I want to not be disgusted by the country of which I am a citizen and its people.
I also want to be able to live comfortably and comfortably support kids, and I enjoy learning and want making myself a better and less judgmental (lol, thinking about my last paragraph) person.
@thatrunnerkid I agree. Having that indestructible belief in yourself can help you achieve wonders, regardless of what anyone says or thinks of you.
In order of importance:
Unfortunately making the world a better place doesn’t make the list, although that’s partially because I think people can be altruistic in ways that go beyond their jobs and into their personal lives.
Seeing success.