Why Get Out of Bed? A Reflection on Teens, Purpose & Motivation

What Gives Teens a Reason to Get Up in the Morning?

And Why That Question Might Matter to All of Us.

Written by Mom

✏️ Quick Quiz:

When you wake up in the morning, do you...

☐ Reach for your phone before anything else?
☐ Feel like you have nothing to look forward to?
☐ Jump into a busy day, but still feel kind of empty?

And when someone asks what you really care about, do you...

☐ Struggle to put it into words?
☐ Say “I don’t know” without thinking?
☐ Wish you had something meaningful to point to?

If you nodded yes to any (or all) of these, keep reading—because that’s exactly what I’ve been reflecting on.

Hi friends,

Lately, I’ve been thinking about what truly motivates teens—and what might be missing when they wake up feeling unmotivated, unsettled, or unsure of what they care about.

And truthfully, while this article focuses on teenagers, these are the kinds of questions people might wrestle with at every age. I’m sharing some personal reflections on that—not expert advice, but an honest look at what I’ve seen in the world around me, through my years as a teacher, and from our family’s journey.
I hope it resonates with you.

Teens need a reason to wake up with energy and direction.

And while many seem engaged and motivated—pursuing interests they care about and staying connected to the people around them—enough are struggling that it makes me stop and reflect.

During my years teaching in public schools, and just by observing the world around me, it’s something I’ve seen in many situations. Some teens seem disconnected—isolated on their phones, lacking real connection with their families and surroundings. Academics alone don’t seem to fulfill them—and can even deepen that sense of discomfort. Something feels off.

What is it they’re not getting?

What if the missing piece was something deeper—something called purpose?

Let’s try to define what purpose really means.

We all need a reason—a deeper “why” behind what we do.
Purpose is that “why.” It’s the motivation behind our choices, dreams, and actions. It’s what makes life feel meaningful. Purpose helps us decide what’s worth our time, what to walk away from, and what to keep fighting for—even when things get hard.

For teens, it might come through things like sports, dance, art, or deep friendships—anything that brings connection, expression, or a sense of growth. But when those meaningful anchors are missing, it’s easy to feel lost or unmotivated. That’s why finding even a small spark of purpose can give life a deeper sense of direction.

In Don't Keep Your Day Job, Cathie Heller writes:

That hit me.

We don’t talk enough about how purpose can lift us up when we feel bored, empty, or like we’re just floating through life. And there’s no reason to wait until “later” to start thinking about it. Teens already have interests, passions, and talents. The challenge is to discover them, nurture them, and give them a space to grow.

How Young Entrepreneurship Can Help Teens Find Their Purpose

If you're homeschooling, you already know a bit about freedom—freedom to live your values, follow your own schedule, and pursue your interests.

But let’s be honest—just homeschooling, in itself, doesn’t automatically give you purpose either. If you’re simply doing school at home, checking off assignments without a deeper sense of connection, it can feel just as empty. The difference comes when that freedom is used to explore real passions, take initiative, and build something meaningful.

That’s exactly what young entrepreneurship can offer.

Homeschooling has brought our family a sense of purpose, along with many opportunities to learn creatively together. But as our daughters grow older, we’ve also found that entrepreneurship offers something more—real-world challenges and meaningful responsibilities that help them grow in a different way.

When our daughters first started creating cards, it was just for fun. But little by little, they saw how their ideas could bring joy to others—and that gave them a sense of pride and purpose they couldn’t find in a textbook.

If you, too, can wake up in the morning knowing you’re making someone else’s life a little brighter—that’s where happiness begins.
And that feeling? It’s a sign you’re on the path to building a purposeful life.

Start Exploring Your Own Path

And if you're a teen reading this—or even an adult—it’s never too early or too late to start thinking about your “why.”
👉 Try this: Write down 3 things you enjoy doing, 3 things you’re good at, and 3 problems you’d love to help solve. Somewhere in that mix might be the beginning of your purpose.

You already have something beautiful to give to the world.
So go ahead—take the first step. And most of all—enjoy the path.

🧡 Thank you for taking the time to read this.

If this message resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts—or hear what’s giving you a reason to get up in the morning these days.

Feel free to hit reply, or share this with someone who might need it.

With gratitude,
Carine
for SoliaVenture

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