Is what you’re working on each day bringing you closer to your vision? What you want your life to look like? What you want to create? What you want to see in the world? The legacy you want to leave behind? How you want to serve others?
Can you say with certainty that you’re moving forward, making progress, getting closer to what you desire? 🧐
Sometimes we can (accidentally) spend our precious time working on stuff that doesn’t really matter or have any impact for us, our business, those we serve. This is called “busy work” (it keeps you busy but if it didn’t get done no one would really care) or “working on someone else’s to-dos and goals”.
And the tricky thing is that it all feels productive and like you’re making progress, because you’re busy and ticking things off a list.
Now I lovvvvve ticking off to-dos more than anyone I know, but this is not in and of itself an indicator of productivity. The ability to link the things you spend your time on to the ultimate dreams, goals and visions that you want to create does indicate productivity.
All of us experience procrastination, feeling unmotivated and just plain stuck once in a while, but if you’re going through this sh** consistently , it could be a sign that you’re not aligned with that ‘why’. Sometimes we lack motivation, lose momentum or generally feel blah because we know deep down that the thing we’re working on doesn’t actually hold any meaning for us.
If you’ve never considered your ‘why’ before, fret not! It’s never too late to get clear and decide what it is that you truly and deeply want.
Rather than work on autopilot, take several steps back and look at your big picture. Then for each of your tasks, goals, projects and to-dos, ask yourself the following questions to see if you’re working on the right stuff and moving in a direction you actually want to go in. Your answers will allow you to let go of what’s not important, freeing up your time for what is.
Questions To Stay True To Your ‘Why’
❓ Why is this important to me?
❓ Why did I start working on this project in the first place?
❓ How is it directly (or very closely) linked to my overall goals and big picture vision?
❓ What purpose does it serve?
❓ What will the outcome be when it’s complete?
❓ What is it going to help me accomplish?
❓ How will I feel when I’m done working on it?
❓ What is the benefit of not finishing it?
PRO TIP: Look out for words like “should”, “have to”, “need to” and “must” in your answers. This is a sign that you’re doing something because of someone else’s expectations, either real or perceived.
This self-awareness, mindfulness and consideration of your ‘why’ allows you to work more intentionally, keeping you motivated, engaged and excited about what you’re doing with your time. This is the magic sauce that will make sure you actually achieve your goals and create the life you want most!
Create Your ‘Why Statement’
Keep all this juicy stuff top-of-mind by filling in the blanks below and read it every single day:
“I choose to work on and invest my time and energy on ______________________________________________ [what you want to do or achieve…be very specific] because _______________________________________ [why it matters to you…be very specific again, lol!]”
Great tips!
Thanks Lacie so glad you found them helpful!
Love this! A great reminder to all. I especially like the PRO TIP.
So happy to hear you love it Michelle! Good luck looking out for those PRO TIP words – they can sneak into our thoughts very easily!
I can get a bit pushy when it comes to clarifying purpose for doing something. I like how you broke down the article to include some action, like filling in the blanks. Good stuff!
Glad you found this helpful Brit! It’s all about the action (otherwise, what’s the point LOL) 😉
I’ve always lived by this advice! You can’t really be motivated until you connect with the reason you really want what you’re doing. Thanks for the reminder!
I love that you’re living this Beth! Doesn’t it feel motivating AND empowering? 😉
What great advice! I myself am on a journey to gain clarity in what I do and this was a good and timely read!
Ashley that’s amazzzzing! It’s fate that you and I were able to connect in this way 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how your journey progresses!
I absolutely love these tips Jodi! Thank you for sharing the splendid advice!
Hayley Moore
You’re very welcome Hayley – glad you found it helpful!
I love this so much! I’m going to go write my why statement now!
Yayyy I’m glad you loved it – good luck with your statements!
I love this! It is so important to know your ‘Why’, it keeps me motivated when I don’t feel like doing anything.
That’s amazing Aaltsje! “Why” is probably the biggest motivator out there – and you’ve got working for you already 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! The ‘why’ behind what we do is so very important, but often overlooked!
You’re so right Abby – we all need a little reminder now and then 😉
Love this simple why statement, thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome Marlene – so happy to help you clarify your why 😉
Sounds good why statement loved it !
So happy you love the why statement idea Matt! Feel free to share yours here when it’s ready 🙂