The Requiem for Roleplaying :: Motivations

Motivation.

Your character's "reason for living."

Every character should have a goal, anywhere from the minor (to be the best brewer in Dallenport) to the major (to be the first to solo Cydrionic) to the unrealistic (To eventually de-throne a god and take over his religion). This will allow your character a chance to grow as your
character comes closer to the goal. It's called 'character development.' To give a common example, take a certain snot-nosed young brat who worked on a farm on a world called Tatooine. He started as a worthless, snot nosed brat, became a snot nosed brat that could pilot a star fighter, and eventually became the snot nosed brat who liberated the universe and saved his friends. At his very core, he was the same person, a snot nosed brat. But through the course
of the story, he learns various new things, and changes his views on a few others. Then learns to be patient from a smelly, green gnome. He learns not to trust everyone from a seedy pilot. And he learns not to hit on every beautiful woman he meets, from his sister.

And remember, when your character is 'low level' that means they are typically not experienced in much. A second level thief is not going to be juggling 10 daggers in town square, but a legendary avatar thief may very well be able to pull it off.