5 Answers To "What Gets You Up In The Morning?"

a picture of business person and what gets you up in the morning

When an interviewer asks you, “What gets you up in the morning?” you might be thinking to yourself, coffee. But that’s the wrong answer. Interviewers who ask this question are looking to see what fuels your everyday life. We all have something that motivates us; they’re looking for you to help them understand what that is for you, exactly.

Interviewers aren’t able to ask extremely personal questions, there are legalities to asking questions that are too personal. So what they have to do is ask you questions like this one, which show some of your personality and some of your professional drive.

A similar question you might hear is, “What motivates you?” This interview question is seeking to answer the same question. The interviewer is trying to understand more about your personal working chemistry, giving them an idea for your personal fit with the job function and company as a whole.

What Your Answer Should NOT Contain

When answering this question, it is advised that you avoid answering with something that might be too personal. For example, you don’t want to share that breakfast is your favorite meal of the day, and so that’s the reason why you’ve chosen to get up in the morning. That leaves the interviewer or hiring manager feeling like you might not have a professional or career drive. Avoid telling long, potentially drawn-out stories, as well. That means be brief with your answer and make it impactful.

What Your Answer Should Contain

A good answer to this question should contain some information related to your personal DNA. For example, what are the things that make you tick? They should be more related to your professional life than your personal life. You can absolutely share an answer with some degree of vulnerability to it as well, something along the lines that making mistakes is what gets you up in the morning. It sounds unintuitive, but when you are honest with the interviewer and give philosophical reasoning for your honesty, that can go a great distance. We are all human; humans make mistakes, humans learn, humans go through evolutionary periods. It is okay to say that you appreciate those periods in life and wake up for them.

your answers must contain some specific examples too. In those examples, you may want to share your reasoning for the answer. But keep in mind, this needs to be brief. You can’t overshare your personal life even when justifying your answer. So be sure you plan what the follow up will be in advance. You’ll need a practical story that has a human element. Meaning a story that nearly everyone can relate to. Making a mistake, learning something new, being part of a team, being appreciated, being commended for your work or other.

5 Best Answers For “What gets you up in the morning?”

“What gets me up in the morning is the opportunity to learn something new. That’s the ability for me to feel as though I am newly alive in this world by refreshing my perspective on something I haven’t seen before or educated myself on something I previously was unaware of. You truly feel alive when that happens.”

“What gets me up in the morning is the ability to make mistakes. Making mistakes is what makes us human. Hopefully, not too many mistakes. But being able to have life present us with the opportunity to learn.”

“What gets me up in the morning is the ability to work with a team. I’ve been very passionate about team sports and competing. It gives me greater satisfaction than monetary benefits. Working with a team gives me that same rush.”

“What gets me up in the morning is the opportunity to compete. I love friendly completion. Regarding work, it about thinks who our competitors are and how I can play a chess game against them. That drives me to get up in the morning.”

“What gets me up in the morning is the notion that every day is a brand new day to grow. I’m one who loves to beat my own personal records, especially with health and wellness. Being able to wake up, challenge me, and see the rewards of succeeding is extremely gratifying. More so than any monetary exchange.”

Examples Of Bad Answers

Here’s a few examples of a bad answer to this interview question. Most of these contain some emotional or lack-luster way of expressing something that’s not all that unique. Avoid these types of answers at all costs.

“I appreciate the morning sun.”

“I live for breakfast and my morning coffee.”

“What gets me up in the morning because I love jogging, and I jog every single morning.”

“What gets me up in the morning is that it’s a day sooner to getting paid.”

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About the author

Patrick Algrim is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), NCDA Certified Career Counselor (CCC), and general career expert. Patrick has completed the NACE Coaching Certification Program (CCP). And has been published as a career expert on Forbes, Glassdoor, American Express, Reader's Digest, LiveCareer, Zety, Yahoo, Recruiter.com, SparkHire, SHRM.org, Process.st, FairyGodBoss, HRCI.org, St. Edwards University, NC State University, IBTimes.com, Thrive Global, TMCnet.com, Work It Daily, Workology, Career Guide, MyPerfectResume, College Career Life, The HR Digest, WorkWise, Career Cast, Elite Staffing, Women in HR, All About Careers, Upstart HR, The Street, Monster, The Ladders, Introvert Whisperer, and many more. Find him on LinkedIn.

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