Some people have no clue what they want to do in life — in any chapter. Some know what they want to do but can’t seem to get there. Others seem to have it all together. I’d offer that the ones that have it all together and are seriously crushing their dreams are the ones that not only know what they want, they know why they want it.
Uncovering your why takes some work and it means asking yourself some tough questions. But if you can truly understand not just what you want but deep down inside to the core why you want it means you’ll be able to stick with the game plan and you’ll be in the game for the long run.
You see, every organization and every person operates on three levels; what we do, how we do it and why we do it. We all know what we do: the products we sell, the services we offer or the jobs we do. Some of us know how we do it: the things that we think make us different or stand out from the crowd and the talent that we bring to the job. But very few of us can clearly articulate why we do what we do.
Yet the why is the purpose, cause or belief that drives us. It’s why you get out of bed in the morning. Once you understand your why, you’ll be able to clearly understand what makes you feel fulfilled and you’ll have a better understanding of what drives your behavior. You’ll have a point of reference for everything you do moving forward and you’ll be able to be motivated, inspired and intentional.
Now let me just nip something in the bud. Your why has to be deeply personal to you. It has to be about you. So, if you are already headed down the money road and you think your why is because you want to (or need to) make money, I want you to dig deeper. Because if it’s just about the money, you won’t be committed enough to stick with it. So, think about your why in terms of what the money will do for you and how it will make you feel. Keep digging until you really get to why you have to have that money.
And, likewise, if the reason why you want to have a next chapter is about other people or pleasing other people, you won’t be committed enough to push yourself way out of your comfort zone. Because it’s scary out there, right?
Make your why about you and make it bulletproof.
Write it down because words have power. Writing everything down and keeping it in a place where you can refer to it often makes it more meaningful, more real. You’ll make it easier to stay true to yourself. You’ll be able to avoid distractions. You’ll be proactive and living on purpose, by design.
So, refer to your why statement often — preferably daily — to keep you in the game for the long run and enjoying your journey.
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