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The word motivation comes from the Latin word meaning “to move.” Middle school educators know all too well that getting their young adolescents to want to move or work or achieve can be challenging. Similarly, teachers themselves fall on various points of the motivation continuum. In this article, the authors report what motivated teachers said about the factors that encourage them to become and remain effective. A striking finding was that each of the teachers found relationships—with students, colleagues, and administrators—at the heart of his or her motivation. A steadfast commitment to building relationships has a powerful impact on sustained motivation over a career.—