Your WHY is crucial to your progress

I listened to an audio book (thank whoever invented these because it's the only way this busy mom can seem to 'read' a book now) by Simon Sinek called "Start with Why".

I'm so glad that I took a deep dive into my why after finishing the book. It truly has made a difference in not only my fitness journey and my business, but also my personal and family life.

I want to share with you: why knowing your WHY is so crucial to making progress towards your goals - in fitness and life.

Simon's book is a business book, but when I read it, I applied the theory to more than just my business. Simon uses Apple and Microsoft as examples quite frequently, and although they are large tech corporations, I believe there is still a lot to learn from the way they operate.

Both Apple and Microsoft started with a man who wanted to create a change in the world.

Steve Jobs wanted to empower others to think differently, out of the box. That is why Apple is still the go to for creative artists and individuals that stand against the status quo. Apple changed not only the computer industry, but then later the music industry, with the introduction of the iPod.

Bill Gates wanted to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. So Microsoft created the personal computer so that every person could have access to a computer, which was at that time, not possible.

Neither of those mission statements, or whys, talk about technology. Did you realize that before I told you? Probably not.

It's for this reason that Steve and Bill could have created a corporation doing just about anything, and would have still been successful, or at a minimum, make progress. They were passionate about the change they wanted to make in the world.

“Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress, working hard for something we love is called passion.” - Simon Sinek, Start With Why

Have you ever started a new fitness routine, but found it quickly became stressful or felt like a chore? It's possible that you do not care about making progress quite as much as you think you do. There's many external reasons that anyone decides they should start working out - their doctor told them to, their husband made a meant to be innocent joke at dinner last month, an old pair of jeans stopped fitting the way it did before, etc.

Those are external reasons that might push you towards adding exercise to your weekly schedule. They do not create passion.

“Finding why is a process of discovery, not invention.” - Simon Sinek, Start With Why

Are you finding yourself a little irritated with me? Thinking things like "I am passionate about my health though Karyna!" I hear you, and I believe you. Stick with me.

Your true why has nothing to do with external reasons or factors. It's not as simple as "I care about being healthy". A true why typically has deep rooted beliefs (and sometimes emotions). One way I've found to uncover the "root why" is to continually ask "why" to each iteration. So when faced with a "I care about my health" why, I respond with the question "Why do you care about your health?" You may then respond with "Because I want to be able to walk my son/daughter down their wedding aisle." Yes, but why? "Because it's important that I am able to be present in my family's life." Better. And it continues.

So you have your why now, that's it right? Well, almost. A why is powerful. But, it's also like a can of gas without a car. A can of gas has a lot of potential, but without the engine, nothing is going to move forward. Your why can't live in a silo, it needs support and structure.

“Passion alone can’t cut it. For passion to survive it needs structure. A why without how has little probability of success.” - Simon Sinek, Start With Why

Your why is so important. But equally important is the structure and support that will sustain it when things become difficult.

Think again about starting a new exercise routine. You've probably tried several times before, maybe it even stuck for a few months. But chances are, it didn't go the distance. Even with a clear why such as "I'm working on my health because I want to show my son/daughter that spending time caring for yourself is just as important as spending time caring for others." That's a great reason! But, if you haven't stuck to your progress before, it's lacking structure. It's one layer without much support beneath it. When work asks you to stay late and your family needs your help later after you're done with work, do you cancel your fitness class or do you stand firm in your commitment to yourself?

If we go back to Simon's Steve Jobs example, he explains how at one point in Apple's history, a project was underway that would allow users to use a computer using a keyboard. A mouse did not yet exist. Steve Jobs discovered a graphical interface and immediately stopped the existing project to redirect it in a completely different path - towards the use of a graphical interface and mouse. The company lost a lot of money with that redirection, but because Jobs believed so wholeheartedly in his mission, he had no doubt in his decision. His why was strong and he had the support and structure of his employees, who also believed in his why. Now, we all are familiar with the mouse used to operate a computer.

You need support and structure. When you have a clear definition of your why for adding exercise to your weekly schedule, share it with your family and friends. Write it down in places you see often. When your schedule becomes mangled, as schedules usually do, you'll have a constant reminder of your why and a support team behind you ready to cheer you on. So when you explain that you need to leave work on time and that you can help your family another time, they will all have a clear understanding of why because they support you.

I hope that you're still with me. If you are, I would love to offer you support and structure in your health and wellness journey. Bring your why with you when you sign up for a Triangle Foundry class (don't worry I won't ask you what it is).