Know Your WHY!

I know, it may sound a little corny to some of you. However, knowing your “why” is one of the most important steps in achieving any goal or getting through any project or anything that you do. In fact, “why” is the most important word when setting any goal. If you don’t know why you want something, then you probably don’t need it or want it and most likely you won’t ever achieve it.

When ever you do anything out of the norm or you want to try something new or you are just taking a close look at your current life and the things you are doing or want to do, it is critical to know your why. Is your why in line with your values? One of the first steps is to imagine what it will be like when you are there. What will it feel like? What will you be doing? What will you have? You need to stop, take a step back and visualize what the end result is. If you know what the end will look like, you are more likely to work harder to achieve it. “Begin with the end in mind” ~Stephen Covey~

If you have trouble understanding the fundamental of why, try asking yourself, at least five times, why?  The first answer is likely to be somewhat  empty and without substance. However, with each successive answer you will be digging down deeper and deeper into the true reason for your goal. This is truly not  an easy exercise, yet it will certainly strengthen your why once you have done it.

Frequently, people have great ideas and get enthusiastic about them only to talk ourselves out of moving forward because of the “hows” or the “whats”. We start asking ourselves, “How will I ever do that?” or “What was I thinking?” or “I don’t know enough about that so I’ll never be able to do it”. There are many of reasons not to do something, so your “why” has to be strong enough to get you through.

Once you understand your why, the hows and the whats will just seem to appear. They will no longer be the obstacles they appeared to be. If the why is strong enough, resources will show up or you will be inspired to seek out the answers wherever they may be. The internet, people we know, books are all great sources of information that will help remove the fog of the unknown. If your why is strong enough, you will do everything  and anything in your power to find out how to make it happen.

Conceptualize with a friend, using a trusted mentor to bounce ideas off, or using a coach are some of the ways that will help you discover your why, get your whats and hows organized and prioritized. Keep on your toes though, your why may not be good enough for other people and they will try very hard to discourage you. Be careful of who you tell your goals to, and know that they may not understand your why.

What is one thing that you would really like to accomplish? Now ask yourself why you’d like to accomplish that. Think about it for a few minutes. What will that accomplishment give you? Will it serve others? Once you know the why, close your eyes and visualize what it will be like when you achieve it. Hold that picture and make a mini-video of what you will be like, what you will feel like and what it will mean to others. Run that video in your mind first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Remember, we become what we think about.