An objective can be a motivator, but it should also be something that enables a character to take action. A main objective isn't something that can be solved by chatting. It should be a conflict that challenges the character to overcome something (personal flaw, adversary, etc) to achieve that goal (save the princess, convert the atheists into Christians, drop the ring into a volcano.)
Frodo's primary objective was pretty obvious: get the ring to Elrond, go home. The objective changed once he realized the situation, and so he surged on to bring the ring to its doom. Along the way, he struggled with his perception of other people changing, the loss of Gandalf, and the loss of his childhood friends once he set off on his own with Sam.
Sam's primary objective was likewise to surrounding the ring. He pledged to accompany his beloved Frodo to support him on his quest and, at one point, shouldered the burden in his stead. But Sam's secondary objective changed throughout the story. First he wanted to see the Elves. Once he had, he picked up a new objective. An undercurrent throughout the story is his love for his friends and his undying desire to protect his Mr. Frodo. That love was not an objective. It was what motivated him to complete his objectives.
"Make friends" is not an objective unless the goal is difficult to obtain.
"Protecting/Providing for family" are motivations and not objectives that support the story unless there's a challenge there - unless those people are constantly in harm's way or unless the failure to provide means the family is compromised. Bran's objective to provide for his family was met when the Luxans handed him a large sum of money, for example. Tora is a mundane running with gods and abhumans; these beings can more easily protect her in a pinch thus she's robbed of the need for this objective.
Can personal challenges be an objective? Yes and no. They can also be a hindrance.
Can an objective be simple? Yes, provided it's not too large for the player to handle.
Part of the reason players get bored or state "there's nothing to do" is because they either choose too broad an objective or they choose weak, easily obtained objectives for their characters. There's no challenge in sitting around all day bantering back and forth. Without an active objective, players are at a loss for what to actually write. It becomes "What do you want to do?", which is answered by "Dunno."
Players lose interest in other people's stories, bailing on them, because their characters don't have strong objectives to weave into the story. Neither player or character is motivated.
Let your characters' objectives help define them as people, fleshing them out, and use those objectives as motivation to participate in stories.
tl:dr
If you find yourself sitting around with nothing to do...
If you can't think of anything to write...
If you find that the only thing your character does is talk about light things while shopping or eating or over coffee...
If other players tend to avoid interacting with your characters...
...chances are high that your character lacks solid objectives ergo you, yourself, are not motivated enough to help your character meet their goals.
A final question that came up: "Does my character/nation have to invest every moment of game time on their objectives?"
Nope.
Objectives are always in the back of the mind, but sometimes characters need to put aside their own goals/stories for sake of the greater good. Their goals will continue to motivate them in some fashion, if those goals are solid to begin with.[/left]