Why is it important to know your why? Most people start out thinking about what they are going to do and then consider how they are going to do it. Or after they have done something, they try to figure out why they did it. But to know your why is to prepare the foundation from which your actions and efforts will grow.
Know Your Why before You Do Anything
There was a common scenario that played out every time my son did something that he should not have done. It went something like this:
“Why did you throw that rock through the window—burn the transformer in the microwave—think that you could hide a pet rat in your room…? And you had better not shrug your shoulders and say I don’t know.”
And he would stand before me. And I could see his eyes checking the cosmos while he fought that natural urge to shrug his shoulders. After much mental debate, he would come up with some cockamamie tale that defied gravity or scientific reason or plain common sense. Eventually, however, he was prepared for my “why” questions. I am not saying he always told the truth, but he answered the question. I would use those episodes to instill in him the importance of thinking about why he wanted to do something before he did it. I asked him to consider why he wanted to do something and what he wanted to happen before he did anything.
To Know Your Why Is To Determine Your Purpose
To know your why is to set the foundation that needs to be firmly established before you take action on your what. If you know your why, you will be able to overcome obstacles and discouragement. You can silence your inner critic and those external critics who will try to convince you that you can’t or won’t reach your goal or shouldn’t even try. To know your why is to determine your purpose. And when you know your why you will gain clarity and be able to actively pursue your what. You will figure out the “how” to bridge that gap between your “why” and your “what.”
I love this video by the comedian Michael Jr. He speaks so clearly and delivers a powerful example of the difference between knowing what to do and knowing why you are doing it.
A Whole Lot of What But No Why
I struggled for years doing a whole lot of what with nothing to show for it. I tried to start businesses of various sorts. I created art and jewelry and tried to sell it. I love to write and thought that would be a good way for me to make money. And I started writing books and bought books about how to write books. I joined several network marketing opportunities.
With each of my endeavors, I made some headway. I sold some things. I wrote some chapters. I was able to sign up people for my teams. But nothing ever stuck. I would get to a certain level and life would happen. And because I did not know my why my what always fell by the wayside.
I didn’t understand what was missing. I entered each opportunity with great enthusiasm. I studied material, listened to experts and read books. I followed the steps and met some goals. But I didn’t know my why. Truth be told, I really didn’t have a why. So whenever I didn’t see life-transforming results or I didn’t like being uncomfortable or inconvenienced, I would stop or drop out.
I heard several people speak about their why, especially when I listened to the stories of people in network marketing. Their why was often so compelling that I could temporarily harness the power from their passion for their purpose. But this was always short-lived. One person’s why can never be enough to carry another to their own purpose.
God Gave Me My Why
But God gave me clarity about my purpose, my “why” for B.U.I.L.D. Alliance. He spoke the word “build” to me while I was in that deep place that prayer can take you. I asked Him, “Build what?” And He responded, “Believers united in living dreams.” And that’s where the acronym for the B.U.I.L.D. in B.U.I.L.D. Alliance originated.
God made my why clear: The purpose of B.U.I.L.D. Alliance is to connect Christian artists and craftspeople so that we can support and encourage each other’s growth as creatives. The focus is on God – The Creator. We must honor and acknowledge Him as the source of our creativity. We are to seek His wisdom and guidance for developing our skills and earning income from our work.
I Know My Why
- My why is first and foremost obedience. I am willing to do whatever it is that God wants me to do.
- My why is to honor God with the gifts and talents that He has given me.
- My why is to pursue my passion as an artist and glorify God with my work.
- My why is to provide for my family.
- My why is to help other Christians develop their skills and provide for themselves and their families.
Now that I know my why I can focus on how I am to achieve my what. The first thing that I have done is to “Commit to the Lord whatever I do, and I know that He will establish my plans (slight paraphrase to personalize Proverbs 16:3). And with that as a firm foundation, I can leave in God’s hand the how to connect my why to my what.
Related Posts:
Using Daily Affirmations to Speak Your Life into Existence
Use Your Gifts and Talents to Let God’s Light Shine
Journaling: Expressing Your Heart Through Your Pen
