"motivation" is a r&b slow jam song written by richard butler (rico love), jim jonsin, dwayne carter and danny morris. the racy lyrics center around rowland asking her man to use his hands all over her body, and are accompanied by a "synth-saturated beat" produced by jonsin. in terms of instruments, "motivation" uses sparse keyboard notes, programmed beats and pulsing synths in the chorus. wayne adds a rap verse complementing rowland's seductive suggestions, using the kitchen and a car as metaphors for sex. according to scott shetler from aol music, rowland uses the lyrics to promise "to be her lover's motivation." rowland called the record a mixture between dance and mash-up. when asked by mtv what rowland thought of the song, she said,"it has that personality and characteristic to it that i don't think anybody can deny. that's why when wayne dropped that insane verse on there ... i was like, 'you really brought that up even more.' he went into the studio and just did it. i don't think it takes much for wayne to think. he just does it. he's so admirable."