system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5:What is the psychology behind motivation?.
gpt
Motivation generally is about fulfilling one's needs.  Maslow described these needs in terms of a Hierarchy of Needs that once you have satisfied the most basic need you are only motivated by the next until that is satisfied.  

Roughly those needs in order of basic first are

* Physiological needs: Warmth, Food, Water, Oxygen.

* Safety: Free from risks of injury, bad health, abuse.

* Social: Love and Belonging.  Association with others.

* Esteem: The sense of being respected by others.

* Self-actualisation: Reaching ones self defined potential.

So for example if the alternative is starving to death we are willing to put up and be motivated in pretty shitty jobs.  Once food and safety are taken care of we may be motivated at work by team spirit and friendships.  If we find love and belonging outside of work we may only be motivated at work if the job we are doing builds prestige or we find interesting intrinsically.  In fact beyond a certain point salary is only motivating as a symbol of prestige if that is how you measure your esteem.

Loads more writing on this, as you can imagine a lot of Business Managers spend a lot of time looking for the magic formula.