Other forms: conations
Conation is the desire and motivation to do something. You might be smart enough to get a PhD, but you'll also need the conation to research and write a 200-page dissertation!
The word conation is uncommon; it's most often used by philosophers and psychologists to describe the specific mental ability and process that allows people to go beyond just thinking about something to actually doing it. It's conation that helps you find a solution to a problem that's been bothering you, or finish a long-term project. You can think of conation as a combination of motivation and perseverance. The Latin root is conationem, "an endeavoring or effort."