Figuring Out Your Why

by Candice Scott | Jan 1, 2020 | Lifestyle, Motivation

New year….new you….. That is a terrible quote/saying.

Do you agree?

Let me explain- you are you for a reason, I am me for a reason. We do not need to try to be something we are not. We need to work on our strengths and improve our weaknesses to be a better version of us. Not a better version of something we are not or think we should be because of society. That is a recipe for unhappiness.

The new year can totally mean improvements though.

The biggest factor in becoming better versions of ourselves is determining our goals or desires for 2020, and then, stopping and thinking what the driving force behind those are. Aka… Your WHY.

You see each of us has desires and things we want. We could want to lose weight, to become debt free, to be stronger, to get a new job or promotion. BUT behind each of those things is a driving force making us want them. Something deeper.

When we figure out what that is, and focus on doing things surrounding that. THAT is when we start succeeding and reaching goals. Not because we have a step by step plant to get there, but because we make small steps that make us feel better, gain confidence in that area and in that process we are able to keep working towards our overall big goals because we do not give up. We grow in the process.

Most goals are not reached because we get frustrated when we do not do one thing right, or two… but when we get frustrated and just give up it does nothing for us. We typically do this because we are ONLY thinking about the weightloss or that promotion. When we think of WHY we want those things and focus on that instead, we tend to keep going.

Here is an example:

Goal

• To lose 50 lbs

The WHY behind it

• “To be able to play with your grandkids and not get out of breath and decrease risk of health problems”.

The process

• You start by going for a walk 10 minutes a day because you know you 1- enjoy it, 2- you get some self care or you time, 3- it is making you healthier. (if you miss a day because you enjoy it you will go back to it the next day you can and keep moving forward with that habbit)
• As you keep the walks going you eventually bump the time up, and then decide to do a little more and add in strength or resistance training with a group or trainer.

• You then decide to make smarter choices with food because you recognize your progress in the other area after a few weeks, and start adding in more whole foods more days than not during the week.

The Result

• You are building your own confidence by doing something you love or enjoy and as a result it is keeping you showing up. You are focusing on doing something good for you to help you move and feel better….. and as a result you lose weight.
• You are focusing on your WHY and that establishes better habits because you relate it to your wellbeing and happiness.
• Decreasing stress WHILE working towards a goal is a winning situation no matter how you look at it.
• Less stress – less inflammation – feel better – lose weight.

To recap- you need to figure out your why. Your why is what is the deeper meaning behind the big goals you want to achieve. Start with the goal then work backwards. Focus on doing things that keep you focused on your why and the goal will come to fruition.

I suggest taking one major thing in each area of your life –

Health, Professional, Education, Relationships, Spirituality (what ever that might be), Physical, Mental. Have one goal for each, and then work on the why for each. Some may overlap and thats ok. The less you have to focus on the better.

Write down your why and keep it around you, set reminders on your phone, stay focused and atleast set a reminder to reevaluate each month.

If you need help with this my quarterly goal setting printable may help. It does just the thing I am speaking of in working backwards, Check it out – Quarterly Printable