In the busyness of life, we can get so focused on the “What” of our journey that we miss out on the “Why.” We easily can tell people what we do each day by talking about our schedules and the tasks we have completed. But my question to you is: Do you ever slow down long enough to know why you do what you do?
There are certainly some folks and some organizations that can’t answer even a what they do question in a succinct and clear way. But the why question is even more important to be able to answer if you want to live with meaning and significance.
There’s a lot of emotion in the why you do something. Why you are doing something answers the inspiration question…Why should I care? Why should I give my time, my energy and my life to this task, cause, ministry or organization?
Simon Sinek wrote a great book on this topic, Start with Why. Here’s also a link to his 18 minute TEDx talk by the same title. Without the why, the work becomes nothing more than just a job. If you are a leader in an organization, you will only be able to inspire others to action in proportion to your ability to articulate the why. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know the how and the what. But you must start with the why.
How about your own life? Do you know the why? The first and ultimate question in Philosophy 101 and at the end of the Ph.D. is the same–“Why am I here?” Down deep inside all of us there is a curiosity that leads us to ask the question. Finding one’s life purpose is a big topic to unpack in a short blog post. But here’s a short 20-page ebook you can download if you want to take this a step further. I highly recommend it. It will help you get a bead on your purpose and answer the ultimate question of life.
If you will discover the bigger over-arching question of why, it will help immensely when it comes to knowing the day-to-day and vocational answers. The life purpose statement I wrote a few decades ago is: “To be an authentic connection between God and people through exercising my leadership gifts and unique personality.” It gives me the why of what I do day in and day out.
My personal mission statement is: “Inspiring Transformissional Living in Others.” It keeps me focused. It’s my filter. It helps me to know what to say “yes” and “no” to on a daily basis.
What step will you take today to make sure you discover or rediscover your why in life. When you discover it, it will make a difference.
QUESTION: What is the “Why” in your life? Please share it if you can articulate it in a sentence or two.
2 responses to Rediscover Your Why