What is your why?

I was thinking about my why, which is where I began with my blog a couple of months ago.

I hadn’t really thought about it much before. I mean I’ve lived a good few years on this earth, and worked for all manner of companies, but I’d never thought about that question too deeply. Rather it was a question which annoyed me a little, and to which I would trot out an answer and, instead, say what I did and how I felt about it. Oh, wait a second, that was probably my why?!!

So, rather than trying to irritate you with “why?” I would really like to inspire you with another way around the question.

Think about what you do each week. That might be a list like this:

o If you work, what is your job? If you work as a parent or volunteer, then that is your job for this exercise.

o List all the tasks you do, including who you talk to so that they get done. Put them in two columns if you like some tasks and dislike others.

o What do you do in your free time, assuming there is any free time? Again, two columns.

o What would you do if you had more time, and what would you enjoy about doing that? Add those things to the positive column

Now look at what you like doing and think how you might summarise those things. Are they about communication, about isolation, about creativity, about organisation, something else or a combination which ties those tasks together?

Now think about your why! I am not an expert in this but I found this a useful way of figuring out why I enjoy particular tasks. I found out that what I enjoy about life is balancing unleashed creativity with organisation, so that the creativity can find a home. I also discovered that I am quite happy in my own company, where I get stuff done and immerse myself, with a good spoonful of company on occasions, giving me connection to life and time to hear what other people get up to.

Understanding your why helps you to do more things which bring you joy and an understanding of what you can do to increase the time which you spend on doing those things. It could either give you a solid reason to start a project or an idea of what you could plan to do. It might create a conversation with your boss or help you explain your motivations at an interview. Once you have your why sorted out, you can figure out how you can achieve your dreams and what you are going to do. Good luck!