It’s all very well knowing what you’re going for, knowing which goals you’re going to achieve and when, but why? I think this is the ultimate question to ask in order to reinforce your passions and ambitions and even give you that extra drive, for if you know why you want something, I believe that you’ll have that extra motivation to go and get it.
In reality, goals are facts, they tell us what we’re after and how we’re going to get there. That could be £10,000 net-worth within 3 months or running 10km in one month from now. Don’t get me wrong, I still think this is a good practice as it gives you something to measure and more clarity in your mind which will inevitably lead to success (that’s if you stick it out), but I think there’s more. How often do you ask why you’re doing something, why you want that extra £10,000 net-worth or whatever? I think that’s one of the most important questions you can ask yourself.
Facts Tell, Emotions Sell
Like I said, goals are facts, they tell us what is happening, when it’s going to happen and by what day. Now that tells an okay story, but it doesn’t sell the story, for that – you’ve got to get a hold of emotions, and in order to do that – you need to ask why. Goal-setting by itself won’t take hold of your emotions, for that you need to add the power of why.
Every time I set a new goal I follow the usual ritual of extensive planning as you do, but then I do something extra – I connect with my emotions and ask myself why I want to achieve it, what purpose does it serve? I actually then take it one step further and describe who I must become in order to attain that goal, the skills I must learn and the disciplines I must stay true to.
By asking myself why, I add reason to my passions, I attach that goal to my emotions – and that’s powerful. Let me give you an example:
A woman wishes to save up £30,000 just for the sake of it, she has no particular reason. My best guess is that it could be a slow road with not much progress, that’s if she gets there at all. She’ll likely spend a lot of it as there’s no real need to save it, I’d say it’s wasted. But then she does something spectacular – she adds some why power. She now wants to save up that same sum of money, but this time it’s to send her daughter to a wonderful school. Do you think there will be slow progress? Likely not, I don’t think she’d even spend a penny when it’s her daughters’ education on the line. That extra power of why made all the difference.
Now you don’t have to be a mother with a daughter to take advantage of this (heck, I’m not), but I hope you can see how it works. Why power is strong, it can make people do miraculous things, and it could help you make quantum leaps with your goals. So go on, add some why!
Do you ask yourself why? I know it’s given me some serious boosts in ambition and motivation when I know why I’m doing something, share your story!
- Nick
Ah yes, I was waiting for a post like this
It’s always important to have a ‘why’ power, and for some people that is purely money. Nothing wrong with that, it’s who they are.
Part of my ‘why power’ comes from the journey itself, even if I don’t particularly enjoy what I’m doing – I love the challenge. That’s a passion of mine. The end result is only half the reward.
Great post Nick, really enjoyed it!
Haha that’s interesting, any other expectations you have? I’d love to add some ideas to my growing list!
Not at all, but I’d advise anyone with a single focus to maybe evaluate their own true values and what they find most important!
The journey can indeed be exhilarating, it’s all part of the great adventure
Thanks for stopping by Sam!
Nick Goodall recently posted…The Power Of Why
I think the “why” *is* the power. “What’s” and “how’s” are pretty useless without a compelling “why.”
We need to do things for a reason. We need purpose in order to achieve anything meaningful. The truth is that accomplishment requires hard work, and without a good reason why we just won’t be able to keep at it. The struggle seems meaningless.
All great achievements first started with a great “why.”
Cheers!
Trevor recently posted…Fess Up: Have You Been Acting Like a Little Bitch?
That’s a good way to put it, with no reason you’re pretty stuck!
I like that – consistency is impossible if you don’t know why you’re being consistent. Thanks for adding to the topic, Trevor!
Nick Goodall recently posted…The Power Of Why
Yes, I agree. Wondering ‘why’ is almost always the best thing you can do before undertaking anything important. It certainly gives you extra motivation to attain proyects and expectations.
But sometimes wondering ‘why’ is simply desperating. We do things without knowing why, and it could occur that we don’t even need to know it. While making or trying to achieve something, as for instance a work of art, I’m convinced it’s better off to know the ultimate reasons always. But it takes time, and if you’re not in mood or tired or whatever, you could get stuck, and that’s sometimes worse than don’t wondering why at all.
dag recently posted…Variety / Quantity / Quality
Definitely.
That’s a good point, I didn’t think of the other side to this great question. It can either be a fantastic reason to power on, or the desperate question to stop doing whatever you’re doing. I’m on the same page as you there, use it to your advantage at the right time, but never let it hold you back!
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
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