Why I Care about WHY

What are you doing? Why? No really, why are you doing what you're doing day in and day out?

Motivation

I have always been fascinated by motivation, what makes people do what they do. As a kid, I learned about ulterior motives and realized that people sometimes do things for reasons other than what they want us to believe. Thinking about ulterior motives can make one cynical about the world, but it helps you understand why things go wrong when what people say doesn't match what they do.

Actions and Their Consequences

My wife uses the phrase, "When you plant pumpkin seeds, you're going to get pumpkins!" It's amazing how often people are surprised at the consequences arising from their actions, knowing full well what the most likely outcome would be. It's like that quote about insanity by Rita Mae Brown (sometimes attributed to Albert Einstein): "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Books to Read

Business books over the years have focused heavily on this subject. My favorites are "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey, "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink, "The Go-Giver" series by by Bob Burg, John David Mann, and "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek. You should all be familiar with these, right? I especially like how Simon Sinek makes the process of proper motivation so relatable — did you ever think companies could be so focused on "what" or "how" that they completely missed the mark (their "why") and compromised their chances for success? Simply eye opening.

Vision Statements to Success

They say all the most successful companies have a well-defined "why" or Vision statement. Apple's vision statement, for example, is "to challenge the status quo and make products that are well-designed, simple to use, and enrich people's lives". I can hear Tim Cook reciting it, as he has so many times in his presentations. Marriott's vision statement is "To be the World's Favorite travel Company". Tesla's vision statement is "accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy". The idea is that any member of a company can use their vision statement to inform their choices and better motivate their work.

We can break it down as well. There can be vision statements within divisions of a company which are more specific to that group. Vision statements can be setup for divisions of divisions, right down to the smallest team entity, but it doesn't stop there. It's even encouraged for individuals to have vision statements, and each individual can have different vision statements for different aspects of their life (work, home, etc.).

Heard it before?

I know. You've worked for too many companies that had vision statements that didn't work. It's outdated or non-sensical. No one ever looks at it or remembers it, and those who find it are usually surprised that it existed all that time without them knowing. It's all too common, but that doesn't prove vision statements don't work. It only shows how often they are drafted or implemented improperly.

Find Yourself

Go on your own "vision quest," just for you. Find your own raison d'etre that gives you purpose and meaning. Make it something that highlights what you care about most, and don't be afraid to question your own motives. Remember, shallow motives like "make more money", "be famous", or "lose weight" don't count. A good motivation is never self-centered.

There's a vision to be found for every one of us — no exceptions. Once you find your vision, your best reason for living, you will find you care more, can do more, and work harder than ever to fulfill it. Sometimes people find their life is out of alignment with their "why", and their life needs to be recentered. Don't be afraid to change because it's going to be the best thing you'll ever do.

~Tom/*