I want to ask you a question. Why do you do the job you do? Do you love it?
And why are you friends with the people you are friends with? Are you satisfied?
And why do you love who you love?
I think the funny thing is how unprepared we often are, to answer the WHY questions. Sometimes the: "Why do you feel that way?" or "Why do you do that?" answers take a little more thought or explanation than we expected.
Yet I think one of the scariest things in life, would to go about making a bunch of decisions, living life, without knowing why. What if we didn't understand our purpose but accomplished things anyways? What if we didn't have a goal or a reason but we just acted impulsively. And I think it would be sad, because it would be wasteful, it would be purposeless.
Just recently I read the book “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek. One of my friend's had recommended the book to me, and the book is a great read for anyone in business, leadership, or making important decisions.
The funny thing is that although we all make decisions every day which directly and indirectly affect us and our future, we often do not understand WHY we make the decisions we do.
The past, our future dreams, our present feelings along with manipulation, inspiration, fear, and bargaining all influence the decisions we make and many of these influences are rather subtle.
I was recently told a story about a doctor who went to McDonalds. He sat down next to a guy eating a cheeseburger and fries and asked him if he wanted to be healthy. The man stuffed another bite of cheeseburger in his mouth and said "Of course". The doctor asked him "Don't you know that McDonalds is unhealthy food?" The man said "Yes of course." The doctor replied "If you want to be healthy then why do you eat unhealthy food?" The man said, "because it tastes good." Likewise in our life, we often make unhealthy decisions because of an external motivator. We must choose in life what we truly want and learn to discipline ourselves in order to move towards that goal or destination.
Inspiration is one of the most positive motivators of decisions. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are your goals or hopes for the future? And WHY? Why do you want to go there, or be that, or experience that? Why do you do the things you choose to do today? Why do you put on makeup or choose not to wear it? Why do you wear the clothes you do? Why do you feel the way you do at work?
I'm going to be very honest with you, there are many times at work when I wonder why I do the job I do. I have to constantly remind myself why I chose to step into the nursing profession- and the answer is Jesus. I wanted to follow him to help the sick. But sometimes in the chaos, or lack of sleep, I don't feel like doing that job- or at least doing it lovingly. So that's when my WHY factor becomes all the more important.
For me, my why is Jesus. My reason to live and breathe and be healthy is Him. And that changes everything. But who or what is it for you? What gives you that energy, that purpose, that life. Why are you living today?
Sinek, S. (2013). Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. London: Portfolio/Penguin.
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