Gia Loor asked Michelle Obama:

What would you say is secret weapon you have to keep motivated in your career and studies? What inspires you to keep learning and reading?

Michelle Obama I’m not sure if I have any secret weapons, but for a long time now, my biggest motivator has been giving back. It’s something I feel deep inside, something that has directed my life since long before I was First Lady. As I’ve said in the past, once you’ve achieved some level of success in life, you can’t just sit back and rest on your laurels—you’ve got to reach back and lift someone else up. That’s the sensibility that led me into public service, and whether I’ve been working on children’s health, encouraging students to go to college, or promoting girls’ education around the world, it’s been a consistent driver for me for decades.

Another thing that keeps me going is that I’m someone who, intrinsically, needs to have a full grasp on whatever issue I’m working on. While I was in the White House, that meant I spent a lot of time studying the details of whatever issue I was taking on, reading my briefings, and asking lots of questions to policy experts who knew a lot more than I did. If I’m working on something, I’ve got to do it right. It’s just how I’m built. I can’t really stomach half-measures, and I certainly don’t believe it’s worth my time to go down any roads that aren’t effective. So what that means is that by nature, I’m constantly learning and studying.

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