Keep your answer brief and impactful. Reflect on the one or two things that are central to your personal mission in life and work, and clearly convey those to the interviewer. Avoid cliches like 'coffee gets me out of the bed in the morning,' and instead focus on what it is that is the most authentically motivating to you.

"When it comes down to it, the people who are important in my life are the ones who get me out of bed every morning. That of course means my family, but it also includes my team members. In my previous role, I looked forward to our daily morning meeting and the ability to work closely with others, as my teammates and I had built strong relationships of trust and collaboration."

"As an HR professional for over 10 years, I've come to find deep meaning in the work that I do, and I regularly reflect on the 'why' to maintain a strong sense of motivation. That 'why' for me centers on empowering members of the workforce to have fulfilling, meaningful careers in which they are well-versed in all of the opportunities they have available to them. I feel satisfied knowing that my career contributes to helping individuals in that way, and it gets me out of bed each day excited and ready to tackle new challenges."