What is motivation?

My desire for dancing developed in my heart, before I even new what dancing was. It was a dream that seemed so far away, but at the same time it was stronger than all nightmares. It was so strong that I didn't even have to think about motivation. But after enough set backs you will find yourself asking the question: how can I go on? And from then on it is motivation that makes the difference when the alarm rings! Motivation means putting 100 per cent of your time, effort and energy into preperation. A dancers life is about total commitment. If you doubt what you are doing it will bring you down. If you have the most talented and best trained body but you don't have the mental capacity to deal with the challenges that will face you, you will not go anywhere! People told me all my life: you are not pretty enough,you are not talented enough, you started too late you will never book a job! And I was thinking: Maybe they are right. But I also knew I had a will. and I was hoping that in the end that will will prove greater than genious or talent. And I trained like a maniac! And I will finish this story with a quote by martha graham that I like very much and always think of when times get rough: "BEING A DANCER WAS AN ACT OF TOTAL COMMITMENT COSTING NOT LESS THAN EVERYTHING!"