What's Your Why?

Generally speaking, it is easy for a person to define what their goal is, and can usually create some sort of road map in order to achieve that goal. For example, say I want to lose ten pounds by Christmas, this is the “what”. And I will achieve this by doing circuit training with weights three times per week and running two times per week. That’s the “how”.

Many people can get this far with their goals, the “what” and “how”. Remember New Year’s resolutions? Most people have a “what” they want to accomplish and most of them have a “how”.

But consider how often those resolutions fail. Or ask yourself, how many times have you made the same resolution over and over…

Goals are great, and often needed. But many people fail to define arguably the most important factor in achieving the goal. THat is called their “why”.

Why do you want that goal? Seriously ask yourself this question when setting goals. You may need to ask this question multiple times.

For the above example of losing ten pounds:

Why?

Because I want to be healthier.

Why?

So I can live longer.

Why do you want to live longer?

So I can play with my future grandchildren.

There you go, find the true, underlying reason WHY you have set that as a goal. When you have a clear reason as to WHY that goal is important, than you can, and will, attack that goal with more desire. If you don’t have a “why”, than your “what” and your “how” are much less meaningful, and are less likely to be realized.

So ask yourself, “What’s my why”.

Below is a great video on the subject of “why”, presented by Simon Sinek. Eighteen worthwhile minutes.

On to the next one.