It’s that time of year when we look ahead and set big goals: we make new year’s resolutions. We plan to make changes we've been putting off. It’s a time of optimism and inspiration.
But it is also true that that enthusiasm can start to falter pretty quickly. No matter how excited we were on January 1st that this was going to be the year, in the majority of cases, those best intensions fade.
An ingredient that can help keep you on task is knowing your why.
What Does It Mean to Have a Why?
Having a why simple means that you have a reason for your goal. Now of course, with any goal you set, you’ll have some reason you want to meet it. But especially for goals that are particularly challenging and may take weeks or months, it’s important for your reason, your why, to be strong.
If achieving your goal ultimately isn’t something you care deeply about, it becomes more likely you won't reach it.
So, take some time to really consider the reasons you want to put energy and attention toward this goal you have. Meaningful goals are difficult to achieve. What will get you through the tough times? What reason is enough to keep you going when you want to quit?
Being prepared with a really good why is your first step to success.
What Makes a Good Why?
A why that is going to see you through to the end is one that you feel passionately about. Let’s look at an example. A really common goal is to get more fit, to exercise more. But why do you really care about being more fit?
If it’s just because you have some general sense that getting more exercise is good for you, that may not be enough. Think about why it matters to you. Maybe you want to be able to play with your kids or grandkids. Or maybe it’s because you know it’ll help you feel better.
Maybe you have a love of golf and getting more fit will help your game. Or maybe you have a trip coming up and you want to be able to walk all day and carry your bags with ease.
What is a reason you’ll be able to lean on again and again that will keep you motivated? When you are really feeling the urge to not stick with your program, what will inspire you to stay with it?
You Can Have Multiple Whys
It’s completely fine to have multiple reasons why you want to achieve your goal. It doesn’t have to be just one. On days when you’re feeling particularly challenged, it can be helpful to have several reasons to make the effort toward reaching your goal. If you're not feeling it with one reason, choose another.
Consider the many benefits of going after your goal. Returning to the goal of improving your fitness, your primary why might be to improve your golf game, but there are many other upsides to getting fit. Your overall health will improve. You’ll likely have fewer aches and pains. Daily tasks are easier. You’ll have more energy.
The list goes on. Any important goal will have many beneficial outcomes. Think them through to stay excited about your goal.
Keep Your Why(s) Close at Hand
Reminding yourself of your why often will be a good motivator. You can write your why in a journal and read it every morning. You can put your why on a sticky note and post it on the refrigerator or bathroom mirror.
Reflecting often on your why will elicit those feel-good feelings that help you want to keep going.
Keeping your whys close at hand can also serve as a great distraction when you’re looking for excuses to stray from your program. When you’re thinking about your why, you’re not thinking about all the reasons why not.
Your Why Can Change
The reason you want to do something may change over time. Maybe your original why just wasn’t that important to you. Or maybe life circumstances have changed. Whatever the case, you can change your why.
In fact, it’s useful to check in from time to time and make sure that your why still has the spark it did when you first chose it. Does that why continue to serve as strong motivation? If not, change it up.
Making sure that your why continues to be meaningful and valuable to you will help keep you on the path to success.
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