Your Why Means More Than Your How

We often focus so completely on how we’re going to achieve our goal that we forget about the most important piece: why we want it. Your why means more than your how. In this article I’ll explain why, and help you find your own why.

When was the last time you felt a real sense of purpose? You were so motivated to do something that it woke you up in the morning, your momentum never wavered and you were laser-focused until you completed your task. You were driven by a real sense of “why”. Whatever the task was, it meant so much to you that you forgot about being annoyed when the alarm went off, everything that you did related to your task and you felt amazingly accomplished when you finally succeeded.

That kind of sense of purpose, that kind of “why”, is unwavering. No obstacle stands a chance. It doesn’t matter if you are tired, hungry, busy or stressed out, you know exactly why you’re doing what you’re doing and so you never stop.

That’s the kind of “why” that you need to have about your health.

Of course, your “why” is not as simple as “I want to lose weight” or “I want to be more flexible” or “I want to look good in a bikini”. When the going gets tough, as it’s bound to do because you’re human and that’s life, the desire to look good in a bikini won’t push you over the hurdles that come in the form of birthday cake, happy hour and lazy Sundays.

Ask yourself: “Lose weight for the sake of what?”. “Run a marathon for the sake of what?”. What drives you?

Figure out your “why”.

What inspires you? What makes you feel alive, motivated, and joyous? Maybe you feel like going for a run every time you look at a picture of a younger, fitter you. But that’s not the kind of motivation I’m talking about. That kind of motivation is inspired by nostalgia and most likely some longing and guilt. That’s not inspiration – and it’s not your “why”.

Your “why” is bigger than that. It’s typically not about the physical you but about the part of you where emotion and passion live. I like to exercise and I like to eat healthy. My “why” is bigger than those actions. I’m inspired to live pain free, with the ability to do everything that I want to do for as long as possible. I’m inspired to never lose the kind of time and confidence I lost when I was battling anorexia. I don’t eat junk food because I know that it supports my “why”. I don’t even miss it because I know that in the long run, it’s meaningless compared to years of unhindered, happy and confident life.

Remind yourself every day.

When you figure out what your why is, it’s not enough to say it once and check the done box. You have too much going on in life, too much stimulus and too many other important interactions, to be expected to remember your “why” every single day without help. Set yourself up for success by filling your space with reminders of your passion.

Create a vision board to hang up at home. Write your mantra and frame it to hang in your bathroom. Write your “why” on the top of your weekly calendar. Do whatever it takes to surround yourself with your inspiration and positive momentum and eventually you’ll find it’s so ingrained in you that your really do walk the walk and talk the talk.

Set a SMART goal based on that why.

Once you know what drives your purpose, you can begin to set actionable goals to help you achieve your ultimate “why”.

SMART goals are:

Specific. It’s defined, clearly and without ambiguity.

Measurable. There is a way to measure achievement.

Actionable. It’s practical, it can be acted upon.

Relevant. The goal has meaning to you. It’s directly in line with your “why”.

Time-Bound. This is not open-ended. Goals with set time limits are more likely to be achieved.

You can see how every piece of a smart goal directly relates to your “why”, and how you must start with your “why” to create meaningful goals.

Step-by-step guide to setting SMART goals <<

Create a plan to achieve that goal.

Now that you’ve decided upon your goal, which is based on your “why”, you can create a plan of action. The plan is important because it guides you to success, but the plan absolutely requires the “why”. Reps, sets and exercise selection will not muster your will power in moments of exhaustion. The plan can tell you what you should do to reach your goal, but your “why” will help you do it.

When you are tired, anxious, sad, stressed, busy, nervous, bored – your “why” becomes crucial. Those emotions come from a place deep within you and you can’t fight them with external cues. I don’t care how many sweet pairs of Nikes you purchase to motivate yourself to got to the gym, if you can’t muster WHY you should go, it’s likely that exhaustion will win.

A good plan helps you reach your goal efficiently and in a healthy manner. If you haven’t done so before, I encourage you to reach out to an expert. As a coach, it’s my job to help you create the best planned for your lifestyle and your specific goals. It’s my job to encourage you, remind you of your “why” and hold you accountable to the steps it takes to achieving it. Even if you aren’t quite ready to sign on, I would truly love to hear from you – either to discuss your current goals, why you are stuck finding your why, how to create a SMART goal, or anything else you have in mind!

Decide what success means.

This piece is specific to you, your “why”, and your goal. And it is not defined by a single thing. It’s up to you to decide what success means to you. Maybe success means one of the following:

• That you try your best to make every decisions and action supportive of your “why”.
• That you achieve concrete goals on the specific dates that you planned for.
• That you want for nothing and have everything you need.
• That you find a balance between your own health and fitness, career/work, family and friends.
• That you live with abundance.
• That you never give up on your quest.

Maybe your definition of success isn’t listed here. I’d love to hear what success means to you because we can all learn from each other. Leave me a comment below to tell me what drives YOU.

Figuring out your Why isn’t necessarily easy – but it’s SO important and it’s the perfect place to get started. Rather than leave it up to chance, grab this worksheet to help you take that inner drive and turn it into something actionable.