What’s your “Big Why”? Why do you pursue particular dreams or goals, or strive to become different or better? Do you have any idea?
And do you take action toward your goals and dreams? Do you grow and change for the better?
If you don’t, you probably don’t have a Big Why? Without a compelling reason, you won’t take action or complete anything.
Simply said, you won’t accomplish much without a good reason to do so.
You can set intentions, resolutions, and goals, but if you’re not emotionally committed to them, if they don’t mean something to you, you won’t follow through and complete them.
To be productive and achieve our goals, every single one of us must feel compelled and committed to what we do. If we don’t have that strong “why,” that emotionally based reason for action, we quit.
Plain and simple.
If you’ve ever wondered why you don’t finish what you start or don’t bother to start at all, now you have the answer. You lacked a big why.
Lack of Why = Lack of Action
In my life, I’ve seen the effects of having no Big Why. For instance, as long as my health was good, I felt no need to exercise regularly. When I began having circulation issues in my legs and a problematic tendon—all caused by sitting too much—I realized something had to change. If I wanted to remain healthy and active, which would allow me to live fully, which I did, I needed to start exercising. I began an exercise program in 2015 and have not stopped exercising three to five times per week since.
I used to dislike using social media to promote my work and build author platform. I did it because I was “supposed to” not because I wanted to. As a result, I didn’t do it consistently or well. Then I realized that mastering social media would help me achieve a major goal—to get published. Without it, I would fail and never publish a book successfully. Because I felt strongly about getting my work in readers’ hands—sharing my message and transforming lives, I embraced social media and platform building. And I now have three bestselling traditionally published books as well as a host of self-published books.
It’s easy to identify my Big Why in each of these examples:
- Stay healthy, so I can remain active and live fully
- Publish books, so I can share my message and transform lives
What’s Your Why?
What’s your Big Why? To achieve more inspired results, you need a reason to which you are so committed, passionate and aligned that nothing can stop you from moving toward and achieving your goals and fulfilling your purpose and potential. Do you know that reason?
Maybe you want to write a book and your reason why is I want to create positive change in people’s lives. Maybe you want to start a movement because The world needs transformation, and I feel compelled to transform others for the better. Maybe you gave up your big salary to stay-at-home with your kids because Raising my kids and being with them every day is essential to their growth and development. Or maybe you go to work each day because It’s important to be a good role model to my kids. And my job is important—it makes a difference.
What is it that you want to accomplish in the world? Who do you want to be, what do you want to do, and, most important, why do you want to be or do that?
Discover that reason, and you increase the likelihood of achieving the results you desire.
How do you find your why? Try these two steps:
Step 1: Describe your why
Get out a journal, a piece of paper or a new Word document. Answer these questions:
- What is it I want to do? Why?
- Who do I want to be? Why?
Ask yourself why seven or eight times. And answer each time. The last answer will get to the real reason.
Step 2: Evaluate your commitment
Answer the following questions:
- Will accomplishing this goal affect my future identity and what I want to do in the future?
- Am I passionate about this activity?
- Would I feel proud of accomplishing the goal?
- Would I do this even if I earned me no money, recognition or status in the process?
- Will doing or accomplishing this be useful to me?
- Am I willing to pay to achieve this goal in terms of time, energy, effort, or resources?
- Do I have the time, energy and resources to pursue this?
- Can I achieve results fast if I pursue this?
- Do I have the ability to make this happen?
- Will others support my efforts?
- Do I feel a strong need to pursue this goal?
How often did you answer “yes” to these questions? If you can’t answer affirmatively to at least half of them, you are unlikely to follow through—even if you have a Big Why.
If there is no big why and if you don’t feel you can achieve your goal, you’ll have a hard time fulfilling your commitment, achieving your goal, or staying excited and passionate about whatever you want to do.
What If You Have No Why?
If you discover that you do not have a Big Why or can’t answer affirmatively to the second set of questions above, change your goals or vision for the future. Find one to which you can attach a compelling reason, a reason you can associate and resonate with emotionally. Then you’ll have a higher chance of achieving the results you want.
To find your Big Why, you need clarity and courage. These will help you determine what needs to drop away and face the reasons you aren’t taking action.
Additionally, you need influence with yourself—to help you follow through—and energy to put behind your passion and purpose.
Add these to your Big Why, and you will create results you desire in your life and the world.
If you need help finding your Big Why, please contact me for a free strategy session. Click here to download the application.
Photo copyright: geralt / Pixabay.com
