How Defining Your Why Gives You Purpose 

Why do you get up every morning?  Why do you go to work?  Why do you go to school?  Why do you do anything?  Because it’s expected of you, right?  Because you don’t want to let your boss down or your parents for that matter?  But honestly those are all reasons for someone else.  Not necessarily at all for yourself.

See, many of you are getting up every morning for no other purpose but to maintain employment.  Or to keep attendance in school.  But are you really doing it because you are happy and want to be there?

Now I know there is someone out there right now mad and ready to stop reading this post. But hear me out.  There are some people who know their purpose and are steadfast in their convictions and will.  And that’s great, but I am talking  to everyone who has lost their way or need to get back on the right path.

And to those who are on the right path, keep reading because you may need to pass this on to your friends who aren’t.  Don’t believe me?  Well,  statistically Forbes did a poll and found that 52.3% of American workers are unhappy at work.  I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot of people.  I don’t know the number for people in other countries, but I imagined that it would be fairly close. (If you do please comment below after reading and let me know). So why are people unhappy?  Why have you forgotten the very reason you are doing the things you do?  It’s rather simple.

You don’t have or forgotten your WHY.  

In the beginning, you wanted to work where you are now because that was the traditional thing to do.  You went to school because your parents told you to.  You got that degree because everyone else did.  But why are you following the path already traveled?

If you tell me that you are doing it because you want to be the first person in your family to graduate, then I applaud you.  That’s a why and it’s being done for you. Because you want to do it.  If you tell me that you are doing this job because it is the gateway to another and even better one, then I believe in you.

If you tell me that you are doing this because you have to take care of your family, then I understand.  That you are doing it because you have a plan with a timeline and you know where you will end up, then I respect that.  You have a why.  You know that it will not be fun all the time, but you are grounded and happy in your pursuit of greatness.

Just please don’t settle for being a  cookie cutter version of anyone in this world.  I know because for a long time I was.  One of the hardest decisions in my life was  to leave the military.  It was a tough weekend when I decided to do it.  I was leaving two decades of the only thing that I have ever known.  But I knew that deep inside my spark had dimmed and I knew I was destined for something else.

Sure, my wife thought I was crazy.  (She still does mind you.) But I am clearer on my why now.  Now I know my former colleagues will say that they are serving for their family and I totally understand and commend them for it.  But there will come a time when that career will end, priorities shift and a new why will have to be established.

My family is my true why now.  The legacy that I want to leave them is my why.   Living The Dream is my why.  And something I told myself a year ago still rings true as my why.  I said that a year from now if my words have just changed one life, then I am successful. 

You are my why.

-alv

What is your why? Comment below and let me know.  

P.S. If you liked this, please share with your friends through email and social media.  Someone needs to hear this today.  Thank you.