W=what
H=hurts
Y=you
What hurts you most could be anything so a deep meditation on your "why" will help push you a bit harder on you career endeavor.
I am struggling to make meaning of your words but I guess you are talking about being motivated by a problem or challenge. Motivation can be generated by the drive to tackle what hurts you. A problem can be a source of motivation especially when one begin to strive or devise means to over come it. Many inventions were born out of the need to tackle a problem. So I agree that when people begin to inquire "why this problem", it could serve as motivation..
- self motivation or
- a second party motivation?
Let's share your idea.
I don't really care about the source of motivation as much as it is positive. If the motivation is to contribute positively to society, the source is irrelevant. To be self-motivated is better because it is internal and requires no external force. If there is nobody or thing to motivate someone that depends on external motivators, such a person will not make progress. I prefer to be self-motivated so that I will be independent.