In no particular order, I am rambling late at night:
Distractions. When things get hard, I find something else to do, something fun, however limited that might be.
Hope for myself. That is a common theme amongst patients I think.
Hope for others. I want to see all of us improve. Like
WillowJ, I find it important for me to bring hope to others, no matter how small that might be. I temper that with as much realism as I can though. Realistic hope is better, it doesn't shatter when tested.
Concern. Hope for others is tied to concern. I have heard so many stories of pain, suffering, disillusionment etc. Sorting them out for people even a little bit is a worthwhile thing to do. I cannot solve the riddles of the universe, but if I can help someone once in a while, its enough. I think others feel this way too, at least some of us.
I have a burning need to understand too, which currently is challenged by worsening memory. However I want to understand it all, from the biochemistry to the politics. Too ambitious, yes, more than I could do in a lifetime if I were well, but hey, the journey is almost as important as the finish-line tape for something like this.