Why?

That’s not an easy one to answer. But once you do, life becomes a whole lot better.

As you start your day today, it’s good to ask yourself ‘why’. Why do you do what you do? And how does what you do now affect the why of what you do every day for the rest of your life?

This is what you might call the ‘Simon Sinek question for business’ applied to your personal life. What is your ‘why’? What is the ‘why’ of your life?

Why do you strive to the goals you have? Why are these goals important to you? Why will doing the same things every day as habits and modes of thought help us or harm us?

I have a coaching client who is examining her ‘why’. A single mother with children, she works at a frantic pace every day just to meet her obligations to others. Their ‘why’ is her ‘why’. But take away the life circumstances, the need to put food on the table, the immediate realities of running a household and working, she kept running to goals that weren’t hers. They were goals created to meet the demands of others. She’s exhausted. She’s been recently laid off and is now trying to fill that financial gulf again, still without addressing what brought her to this place of high responsibility, with no end in sight, and no ‘why’ goals for her own life. There’s no doubt she needs to support her family, and she sacrifices her personal ‘why’ for the benefit of the bigger family need.

Through our conversations on this subject, the lightbulb went off for her. She recognized she’s neglected herself in the process of feeding the ‘why’ of her family. Even though the needs of the family will never change and only grow, at least until the kids are old enough to support themselves. But there was no reason for her to continue to neglect her own development in all areas of her life that would actually help her be a better provider, a more nourished soul, and a more energetic and positive mom.

I have another coaching client in Asia who wanted to start their own business. The business ‘why’ was there, but the inner ‘why’ of the (now successful) entrepreneur wasn’t. When we addressed this person’s personal ‘why’ with the ‘why’ of the business, and aligned them, this person could move past the feelings of self doubt in a scary future, to a place of self-confidence that eventually got the new company off the ground and sailing forward.

Again, what is your ‘why’? What is your purpose?

If you wake up or go through your days with that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, with anxiety, and gathering just enough willpower to do another day, it might be time to examine your own personal ‘why’. When you do, you will feel more empowered and better equipped to make decisions that grow your life instead of keeping you stuck where you are.

Think about your personal ‘why’. It’s not an easy one to answer. But if you dig down and think about it, you’ll possibly find a better approach to life that will be the catalyst for personal development and growth.

Ask yourself ‘why’. And go from there.

Do you need help aligning your whys to achieve your life goals? Reach out to our coaching team at beprofound@profoundtalent.com

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