Everyone has something that motivates them.
By going over my text chats and writing from even as far back as the age 13, I was motivated by pretty much the same stuff.
It’s can be helpful to find out as a manager, a recruiter, a public speaker, or even just a friend.
Sometimes that motivation changes. For a few years it may be having the best food and travel or drugs. Bring present and having the best memories. Money. But those are usually very short term ones that are no longer a motivation once someone has achieved a bit of it.
The longer terms ones I have seen so far are:
Pursuit of Science
Children
Legacy
Literally living forever
Running a company
Writing
Being Funny
Every one has flaws as well and those flaws are pretty predictable too
Greed, flakiness, etc.
I’ve rarely been surprised by someone I have known or worked with when I keep these things in mind.
Occasionally I will get to know people who have no clear motivations. They aren’t motivated by anything specific and are all around unpredictable.