How do you motivate yourself to do something?

I don't like the word motivation to be honest because that can come and very easily go. A few years ago I was MOTIVATED to lose weight and I did but once life got bad for me, the motivation disappeared and my weight returned. But I am smarter about it now. I realize I have a problem with food, something that I never faced up to in the past. And I also realize that eating will not solve whatever problem I am dealing with at the time even though it will temporarily soothe. I find that venting your feelings by journaling or whatever is more affective. I also realize that if I keep up a bad lifestyle not only will I suffer but my kids will down the road. Sometimes motivation is not a factor, sometimes you have to think about what is more important to you, a bad lifestyle that you are comfortable with or something more valuable than that that you can easily lose or could lose you!