What's Your Why?
“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”
What’s the secret to finding more satisfaction in work and life? It starts with asking yourself one question: WHY? Why do I get up every day and do what I do?
Your answer to this question will give you immediate insight about your motivations and level of satisfaction with your current choices.
As the Talking Heads song goes, “And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?” You might realize that you are getting up and going to a job you don’t necessarily love every day because you are saving for tuition, paying a mortgage or necessary healthcare expenses, etc. Or you might just feel stuck, fearful, or too tired to think about making a change. But let’s be honest, begrudgingly dragging yourself to work with a little voice in your head asking, “WHY AM I DOING THIS!?” is less of a question and more of a cry for help from the true you long ago buried in expectations, responsibilities, and good ol’ complacency.
If you find yourself in this place (and we’ve all been there at point or another), it’s healthy to question your circumstances. But don’t stop short of asking yourself why, take the time to actually answer this all important question.
When your answer reveals to you that you truly do need or want what you are getting from your current job, give it a name and own it. Know that it’s a means to your needs, but not necessarily your only and final act. With this act of honest self-reflection, you can start to move from a place of victimhood (ugh, I need this job), to a place of empowerment (this a tough job, but I choose it so I can provide the means for an education, get the training and experience I need, and so on.). As a result, you can begin to have a happier experience in your current job and find more energy to start thinking about a strategic transition to something new.
And if you realize there really is no good reason to stay in your job any longer, well congratulations! You’ve already made the first step toward making an informed and empowered career transition. As one of my favorite leadership experts Simon Sinek says, “Those who know WHAT they do tend to work harder. Those who know WHY tend to work smarter.” And I would add happier.