We’ve all seen the image. An exhausted seeker makes his way to the top of a remote mountain to find the wise sage in meditation. The seeker has traveled far and wide to have this moment and to ask the burning question that has fueled his long and tortuous quest. As the sage looks up from his inner reflection, the traveler blurts, “Oh great one, please can you answer but one question for me – what is the meaning of life?”
The problem, of course, is that the seeker has the wrong question. So what is the right one?
The most powerful question that any of us can ask is “Why?” For the seeker, the question then becomes “Why am I here?” instead of “What is the meaning of life?”
Think about it. Last week, I wrote about the devastating bombing at the Boston Marathon. In the news this week, the media spent most of its attention speculating on the “why.” Why did these two brothers set off the bombs near the finish line? What was driving them to do this horrendous act? We have the same questions that happens after any traumatic event – why, why, why?
In a criminal trial, the prosecutor’s work is not done when there is a body or evidence or even an understanding of how a crime may have been committed. He must get to the motive. In other words, to make sense of a crime, we must understand the “why.”
And while the “why” can explain events which seem inexplicable; it also can explain the things that make life worth living. When working with folks on creating their own personal vision or with an organization setting it’s course, the “why” is paramount. Sure, you want to know what you want to accomplish, but the “what” lacks meaning without the “why.” The “why” inspires and excites us. It gives us a reason to forge ahead with enthusiasm. It gives us purpose. The “why” is the reason, it’s the motive, it’s the inspiration. It’s what makes us tick.
In all my years of sales training, coaching and management; it’s one of the things that I taught salespeople to do to separate themselves from their competition. Build the relationships and get to the “why.” You see, people buy based on emotion and desire. They buy what they want. If you understand the customer and her “why,” you will connect on a deeper and more meaningful level. You’ll understand what is driving her and why it’s important.
Sometimes we may lose sight of our “why” or maybe we simply never took the time to understand it in the first place. It’s in these situations that we need to refocus and reexamine what is important. I think that not knowing the “why” or doing something in spite of our “why” is the reason that many feel lost or unfulfilled. Or in some cases, it’s why we fail to follow-through on a path that we may have started. We weren’t connected to our “why.”
So why are you in the career you are in? Why are you in the relationship you are in? Why is getting back in shape or going to the gym and eating healthy important to you? Why is your work (or personal) project important? If you clearly define the “why” and it resonates with you; you can and will move mountains.
On the other hand, if the answer to your “why” doesn’t inspire you, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself another question, “What am I going to do about it?”
