“He who has a why can endure any how.” -Frederick Nietzche
Do you ever feel like the taskmaster of the busyness of your life? Like your life is filled up with things to do and you never seem to get anywhere?
You may be going through life thinking you know what you should be doing. But have you ever taken the time to really look at why you are doing what you do each day? And how those things are contributing to your life dreams and goals?
Ask Yourself Why
Knowing your Why is the ultimate first step in discovering exactly what you need to do to achieve your dreams and goals.
In a nutshell, your Why is your purpose. As human beings, we live for purpose, we crave purpose, we need purpose like we need food and water. When we don’t have purpose in our lives, goals to work toward, a definite Why, we are merely surviving.
Stop merely surviving.
Watch this short video for an incredible look at what knowing your why can really do.
Let your Why determine your What
But what if you don’t know exactly what your Why is? Think about what’s important to you, your priorities and values. Your Why is what gets you out of bed each morning, it’s the thing that excites you, drives you to do more, gives you the energy and focus to carry on.
Ask these questions:
What brings you the most joy in life?
What are you most proud of in your life?
If you had enough money and didn’t have to work, what would you do?
What do you want your days to look like?
If you knew you only had one year left to live, how would you spend your remaining time?
What would you like your life to look like in 10 years?
I suggest writing this down. And then take a good, hard look at your answers. Compare your answers to how your life looks today. Does how you spend your time align with the answers to these questions? You may find the need for change.
How much time are you putting into the important things? Use your Why to determine where and how you need to spend your time. When a new what (task) comes your direction ask why you would do it. Does it align with your Why?
Once you know your Why, you can ask “How can I…” and take the next steps to doing what you need to do to create a life you love.
Try to start viewing your world through your Why lens. Focus and refine what your Why means to you, not what you think others expect out of you.
How does money fit into your Why?
Use your Why to work on your finances. Although we like to think our purpose in life should have nothing to do with money, money affects almost every aspect of our lives. There’s just no way around it.
Let’s say you want to pay off your debt. Okay, you know you should pay off your debt. But what is your reason, your motivating factor? Is it:
Freedom?
Financial Security?
Job flexibility?
Retirement?
Paying for your kids’ college?
To have more time to…spend with family? travel? enjoy nature? write? read?
Everyone has a different Why. Whatever your Why is, figure out how you can make changes to your finances to make your Why a reality. Start today.
Keep your Why posted on your fridge, taped to your mirror, written on your forehead. Constantly keep that Why in mind when moving through your days. When you find your why, let nothing stop you from moving forward.
It has to be said – you will still have to do the hard work to achieve your goal to get to your Why. Life is not a Staples commercial – there is no Easy button.
But your Why will give you the strength and conviction to push through the hard times, celebrate the small wins, and, eventually, realize the amazing feeling of conquering your goal and improving your life.
What is your Why? How do you use it to motivate and inspire you?
My problem is that my “why” changes constantly. I’m a terrible goal setter in that regard. Having a foundation/purpose is key. Writing helps with that. But I still flip flop constantly.
I hear you, Penny! It’s a good point that sometimes we have multiple “whys”. Sometimes looking further out (what do I want life to look like in 20 years) or even bringing it closer (what about 5 years from now) will help with clarification. I’ve been known to change my whys too. Right now I’m focused on the next 5-10 years, but am not sure exactly what my why looks like beyond that.
My why is I want my laid back Caribbean lifestyle back. There is nothing more relaxing than being able to do whatever you want to do so this is why achieving FIRE early on is important to me. However, I doubt I will stop working. I just think I would pursue a lesser paying job I may have wanted to try rather than working the corporate life.
I don’t blame you at all for wanting the laid back Caribbean lifestyle back! 🙂 I’d like to experience that. It’s time and freedom I seek as well. Though I know I will always need “work” of some sort, the freedom to choose exactly what I want to do is the “why”.
The Why is so important! It really helps clarify the “what” in our daily lives. Thanks for this.
You’re welcome, Ms. Montana! Sometimes I get off balance and spend too much time doing things that aren’t in line with my “why”. It’s good to take a step back now and then to evaluate how we’re spending our time.
Hi Amanda,
I have a clear set of goals and have the answers for the “why” questions. Sometimes, I feel too wrapped up in them. I need to learn to loosen up a little bit and enjoy the journey.
–Michael
Agreed, Michael. Sometimes we can get a little too focused on the end goal and forget to enjoy the beauty along the way. Good point!
Every couple of months I re-evaluate my Why to make sure that it still has purpose in my life.
I have found that what I thought was my Why is actually part of the journey to get me to my real Why.
BTW…I love Michael Jr.
It’s good to re-evaluate on a periodic basis! And I think Why doesn’t have to be solely an end result, but a way of living life with intention (and enjoying it along the way).
I like Michael Jr. too – and thought this video was just amazing!
I pondered over some of these thoughts over the weekend as the damage reports from Hurricane Matthew rolled in from Haiti up through the Carolinas. We know one family that are current missionaries (they are all ok) in Haiti and they were describing the damage and some of the ways we Americans could help.
I think we are here to live for purpose and a benefit of having money is helping people in need, domestically and abroad. Purpose is also a huge reason books like “The Purpose-Driven Life” or “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” are so popular. We are not intended to be full-time couch potatoes.
Helping others is a great way to express gratitude for what we already have. Giving can be an important part of our purpose, for sure!
This is a great point. There’s been research that shows just how much asking the why matters. People who lived their life with a meaningful purpose actually tended to live longer. For example, people may want money but one person’s why was to just be rich and the other person’s why was to escape poverty and get their family back on track. Guess who ended up living a more fulfilled life and therefore lived longer?
Asking the why helps a lot, that’s why during networking presentation events, I don’t ask questions to impress the presenters and have them remember me, I ask questions because I want to know the answer. It’s an intangible thing that makes all the difference in the world.
Thanks for sharing the research findings, Finance Solver! Wanting money just for the sake of being rich doesn’t give us a fulfilling purpose.
Agreed – I’ve never been one to try to impress (anyone!) and I agree the networking opportunities are best utilized by asking questions and learning from others.
Great post! It is really easy to end up on autopilot. Whether it is because we are not reevaluating our whys or we have just gone off track, it is easy to end up with a to do list that does not align with our ultimate goals. Thanks for the reminder!
Thanks, Matt! Yes – re-evaluating and asking ourselves if what we are doing is contributing to our Why is so important! Of course, there are some things we just have to do, but when we look at a week, or a month, that is filled with a bunch of unrelated to-dos, it’s time to pay more attention (and maybe say “no” to some tasks).
This question is actually tougher than it looks. It can be hard to know what you want to do in 10 years – or what you would do if you didn’t have to work anymore. I think there’s a bit of trial and error in finding the “why?” Mine is still fairly vague – but I know that faith and freedom are my essential “why?” and that nature, writing, community/family are all part of my “what?” Although it’s vague, it’s motivating for me. I look forward to a sharper vision for both questions. Thought-provoking post : )
You’re so right, Ruth! It isn’t an easy question and it is definitely subject to change. I think vague is totally fine because you are living your life according to what you value most. Just prioritizing that which is important to you in life is a great step toward getting your “what’s” right.
Good call! I think a lot of people simply “do” without asking the “why” first. It’s amazing how many things in life become less important when they don’t pass the “why” test.
Thanks MMD! I sometimes find myself filling my days with “do’s” without asking how they align with my Why. It is interesting that we can let go of so many things on our “to do” list with nothing catastrophic happening.
Great article and I love the video! I just saw that recently myself and it was incredibly inspiring. We spend so much time focused on doing this-or-that without really thinking about “why” we should do it.
I’ve often found myself going through mundane processes simply because it’s habit or I feel like it needs to be done. The reality is, however, we can accomplish a lot more when we have a purpose and mission that we’re pursuing.
Awesome article — thanks for the great reminder.
Thanks so much, Rob! I noticed you posted the video on FB and was so happy to see it being shared. It has such an inspiring message!
Sometimes we do let our habits guide us though our days, and it can feel natural to let that happen. But it’s good to challenge them now and then to make sure we are living our lives accordance with our our Why.
Awesome post Amanda!
Asking the right question leads to the right solution. And why is a foundational question — one that’s often neglected when it comes to personal finance.
Your why might do you more good than “The Seven Ways to do so and so.”
Because without a convincing, meaningful, and personal way, you might struggle to make it half way. Your why keeps you accountable, motivated and true.
Thanks, Francis! Yes, Why is the driving force behind all of the tactics and strategies for personal finance! Your Why is a powerful motivating force to do the hard work, for sure!
Excellent point! We are all constantly busy, and there can be a multitude of tasks we want to accomplish. But we need to keep our priorities straight, because not everything will necessarily get done. We should make sure the work we are doing is moving us towards our goals.
Thanks, Mr. Crazy Kicks! Really, we are probably busier than we need to be. I am totally guilty of filling every second of every day sometimes. It’s so important to step back and take inventory of the tasks that fill our time. You’re right, everything cannot possibly get done – so we should focus on the most important tasks to get us closer to our goals.
All excellent questions. I’ve been thinking about this but never had the discipline to sit down and really think about it and write down my answers. There are pretty tough questions because it requires you to really think and not just say the first thing that comes to mind, which will likely lead to answers that you think you should answer…answers that society tells you is your Why, even though it may not be YOUR WHY. I know this much though…I have 2 little ones and a wife…they are my WHY and I would love to have more freedom/flexibility to spend more time with them.
Excellent point, Andrew! Many times we set the goals and do the things that we think we “should” do according to societal standards. That’s one of the reasons I like to go through the process of writing down the answers to those very tough questions. I went through the process about a month ago and realized some of the things I was doing didn’t necessarily align with my dreams, goals or values. Like you, my Why revolves around my family and freedom. I try to remember that each day, but some days I do better than others, for sure!
Amanda, a timely post. I have been thinking a lot about life purpose lately, and recently posted on the topic. The thing is, I don’t think I have one big overarching purpose, or Why. I have values, guiding principles, core beliefs, and goals. But as for purpose — there seem to be quite a few and they shift over time.
Jude
Hi Jude! Thanks for stopping by. I think our Whys are definitely subject to change and having one big Why isn’t necessary for moving forward, as long as you are living your life according to those core beliefs and values. For instance, I have a Why of FI which drives me to save as much as I can for retirement. But my family is my biggest Why and takes priority over everything else in life.
Had never heard that quote before but LOVE it!! One of the first things we did when we began our journey out of debt was to make a motivational list of “whys”. That list has kept us going even when the financial chips were down. It’s why we’re still continuing on our journey even though it’s been a bit longer than we would have liked. The “why” really is a powerful tool!
Thanks, Laurie! That quote really sums it up! Why is a powerful motivator. I like how your family made a list of the “whys” for paying off your debt. First, it’s a great way to keep everyone involved and focused and second, it’s the perfect reminder each day to keep at it, even when you may not feel like it.
This is by far the most important question to ask yourself. It can be an extremely motivating thing, too, and push you far out of your comfort zone (I know it has for me!). My “why” is really to work on projects I want to work on, and be able to say no to things I don’t want to work on.
Thanks, DC! You make a good point about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Whenever I think about doing something that makes me feel uncomfortable, I try to really pay attention. Those are usually the things I need to do to keep moving forward with my goals.
Toddlers have it right– Why? is the most important question.
We don’t have to have it all figured out at once, and the answers will change over time, but having some idea of where we want to go is mandatory. It’s so much better to run toward something than away from something.
Yes! What would happen if we, as adults, still had that sense of curiosity and burning desire to know, I wonder?!
We certainly need an idea of where we want to be to help us decide what we need to do to get there.
I’m truly amazed with your post, these questions which you mentioned in the post started to make me think about it.
“What brings you the most joy in life?
What are you most proud of in your life?
If you had enough money and didn’t have to work, what would you do?
What do you want your days to look like?
If you knew you only had one year left to live, how would you spend your remaining time?
What would you like your life to look like in 10 years?”
I think I should start working with the things i love and follow my passion instead of settling with my routine life. Thanks a lot for the post Amanda. Keep writing great stuff and keep us motivated.
Thanks, Rajkumar! I’m glad you found the post helpful. It’s easy to settle into a routine and do the same things day in and day out without a lot of thought. But it’s good to challenge that now and then to see if you’re on the right path for what you want in life.
One should set short term goals to stay motivated & focused in every day life. Otherwise, you will be always confused what to do. many thanks for this useful article.
Agreed, Santanu! Short term goals are perfect for staying motivated for those bigger goals. Thanks for stopping by!