The Hardest Question

I am friends with 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know why. German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once said, He who has a why can endure any how.

I am friends with 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know why. German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once said, He who has a why can endure any how.

I have been doing some really exciting coaching lately with some brilliant clients. One of the hardest questions they find to answer is – What is your Why? They are great at telling me what they do and how they do it. Sometimes I get the Miss World Answer– I want world peace, to feed the world and save the children. Great.

When was the last time someone else, particularly a prospect or client, asked you –Why do you do what you do? Or, even better, when was the last time you asked yourself – Why do I do what I do?

Would you be able to answer that?

Would you just say something generic, like ‘ I want to make a difference’? Don’t worry if you have struggled. I once did, as it seems do most businesses and professional clients I work with.

It has become so easy to get caught up in what we do or how we do it that we often forget to ask the question that will truly lead to our success and happiness. I am passionate about this fundamental concept. I want to inspire people to find their Why. The word inspire comes from the Latin, meaning to breathe life into. Accordingly when you are working toward things that inspire you, it literally makes you feel more alive.

I’m talking about the big WHY that changes everything. The WHY that gets you up in the morning an hour before anyone else. That makes you be AMAZING EVERY DAY, from being about you to being about something bigger than you. It’s about connecting with what your inner passion, knowing that when you focus your attention on endeavors that feed this passion, you grow your impact and influence in ways that nothing else can. You start doing only excellent things and become amazing.

Back in September 2009, Simon Sinek, a best-selling author and optimist, presented his tips to leaders at a TED on how to inspire action. It helped me re-frame my life. The following 18 minutes are worth every second of your time.

So bringing this concept up to date is part of my passion. How can I unlock your (or anyone’s) Why? I believe the following questions, when answered authentically, can unlock your Why.

You will need to spend some quality time (over a few days) doing a mind map (or just writing them down, putting them on your smartphone, tablet or somewhere safe), and using the following questions as your essential primer. You must follow some basic rules and get yourself ready, before you start:

Have lots of paper and pens and a quiet room (or if you love your tablet use that).
Avoid the desire to self edit and try to get there too fast (there is no short cut).
This is a process and you need to be fearless, ruthless and brutally honest.
Give yourself permission to Explore, Play and Create Novelty.
Write it down and let it sit.
Go for a walk.
It make take 20 or 30 minutes per question.
Your subconscious will work with the hidden meanings to distill your own answer.
Don’t show anyone what you write until you have completed this process.
Take time to be undisturbed, free from tyranny of phones and email and let yourself be courageous.
You may want to use a great coach (the best you can afford) to help you facilitate this process.

So here are the real what questions that will unlock your why:

What does your business really do?
What amount of money do you want to make per year?
What places would you truly like to visit in the world?
What type of job would you like to do each day?
What would your perfect day look like?
What do you want to feel like (health wise) in 5 years?
What do you like to give back to the world?
What do you want as you legacy (people will know you for)?
What are the things you believe in most?
What people can help you get to where you want to go?
What are the things you would like to have?
What are the most exciting things you’d like to try?
What events would you like to go to?
What type of house do you want to have and where?
What people would you like to meet and count as friends?
What would it take not to want to retire?
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
What do you need to get to your dream?
What do you want people to think of when they think of you?
What people do you want to spend most of your time with?

When you have completed this task, let it sit and return to it in 24 hours.

Highlight the most important things with a pen and write them into a statement of you needs / wants / desires.

This is the beginning of your Why. Your Purpose, Your Choice and Your Passion.

Don’t show anyone yet. Let it grow, let it develop and allow it to evolve. It is your reason to be who you are. Knowing yourWhy is an important first step in figuring outhow to achieve the goals that excite you and create a life you enjoy living (versus merely surviving). Indeed, only when you know yourWhy will you find the courage to take the risks needed to get ahead, stay motivated when the chips are down, and move your life onto an entirely new, more challenging, and more rewarding outcome and journey. Civil rights leader Howard Thurmon once wrote,

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

Knowing your purpose may compel you to take on challenges that will stretch you as much as they inspire you. It can be easy to run through the maze of life without pausing to think of its meaning. Does what I’m doing matter?

If you get stuck at any point then reframe and take a break. Email me if you really need some help! tim@thelset.com

https://thelset.newzenler.com/

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