Why do you do what you do?
Love.
Money.
Purpose?
What compels you to take action when you’re paralyzed with fear?
When the lizard rears up in its loud, persistent glory?
It’s said that if you have a big enough why, anything is possible.
People like Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, and Gandhi (the usual suspects) all started with “why.”
It was their why that enabled them to do what they did, inspiring others and achieving remarkable things.
It might sound blasphemous, but I don’t think of them as extraordinary human beings.
They were just like you and me. Ordinary people with one major difference.
They had a very BIG why.
What’s yours?
And is it big enough?
[pullquote]“That which is within you and expressed will set you free, but that which is within you and not expressed will eat you from inside.” – Book of Thomas[/pullquote]
Your why is yearning to be expressed.
Why do you do what you do?
Without a clear answer to this question. . .
What the heck is the point?
This is a great question. My answer is Because.
Not joking.
If you pull that word apart and consult Online Etymology.com, it becomes a viable answer.
Until 1300, it was two words: by cause.
My impulse to create along the lines of my specific inspiration are part of the reason I’m here. It’s part of why I was created. I’m here to experience being me in this earthy context.
The life force in me includes this dream of mine, which takes on more detail as time passes.
The only way for me to not do what I do would be for me to not be me.
My creative dream, which is my life dream, is my cause.
It causes me.
I result from it.
By cause. Love it Peter! I too, often look up meanings of words and am often surprised by how much our usage of a word has changed it.
This is a great question. My answer is Because.
Not joking.
If you pull that word apart and consult Online Etymology.com, it becomes a viable answer.
Until 1300, it was two words: by cause.
My impulse to create along the lines of my specific inspiration are part of the reason I’m here. It’s part of why I was created. I’m here to experience being me in this earthy context.
The life force in me includes this dream of mine, which takes on more detail as time passes.
The only way for me to not do what I do would be for me to not be me.
My creative dream, which is my life dream, is my cause.
It causes me.
I result from it.
Edit: http://www.etymonline.com
Sorry!
Edit: http://www.etymonline.com
Sorry!
Hi Sandi,
Funny, but it was a year ago that I finally found my passion and decided to focus on it. I struggle daily with the “why” when I get lost in life’s challenges! It really is vital to answer that question. When you find the answer it’ll carry you through the darker days where self-expression is finding its way.
Thanks a million Sandi! I was searching for people to help me and you showed up!
Hi Sandi,
Funny, but it was a year ago that I finally found my passion and decided to focus on it. I struggle daily with the “why” when I get lost in life’s challenges! It really is vital to answer that question. When you find the answer it’ll carry you through the darker days where self-expression is finding its way.
Thanks a million Sandi! I was searching for people to help me and you showed up!
Betsy,
I think if I answered the question myself I’d say I’m compelled, or like Peter, I can’t not do what I do. But I think this sense of surety shows up when you discover the big why. Suddenly those darker days don’t seem so dark!
It can be hard to define our purpose, a reason for living…the why’ and wherefores….but when we do, life is infinitely happier, more vibrant and more meaningful. I’m experiencing a touch of this liberation now..We should always be asking ourselves..why. Thanks for this Sandi
It’s funny because in my interactions with clients I often tell them to forget the why. What I really mean is the little why. ie: Why did that happen to me? Why can’t I get over it? etc. It’s the BIG why that offers that liberation you speak of! Good distinction 🙂
I’m looking at two quotes on Post-Its on the wall above my monitor – this is one:
“Love is the answer.” -Beatles
It’s supposed to remind me of my why when I forget, but this week I have no why. Nothing makes sense right now, like when you stare at a familiar word until it looks like gibberish. I know it will pass but I hope I’m not the only one who goes through periods like this. The other Post-It is reassuring when I feel this way:
“Of course it’s pointless. That’s the point.” -@zenatplay:disqus
I think we all go through periods like this, the difference being many people don’t talk about it, let alone share it publicly! That gives the illusion that you might be the only one. But rest assured my friend, you are not!!!
It’s during those periods that it’s wise to focus on self care. Sending love. xoS
LaVonne, you are NOT the only one. “This too shall pass.”
Thank you, Carol – it did pass, like, the next day! Seems like whenever I have that ‘what’s the point’ feeling, I’m on the verge of a breakthrough. Hope I remember that next time. 🙂
Glad to hear your “what’s the point” period was so short-lived. Yay! And maybe you will indeed remember next time that the funk is only temporary. But just in case you don’t, someone will always be there to remind you — just the way you’ll be there to remind them when they need it.
Personally I’ve spent 37 years trying to figure this out. Not sure I have the answer.
Attitude is 90% of what you need. I’m working on that. The rest comes from life experience.Why? What’s the alternative? Inspiration can be hard at times when life gets in the way. But there’s a saying by a certain fish I like: Just keep swimming.
OK…a) I love Dory! and b) you’re 37? 🙂
I think when we hit on our big WHY we don’t need to look for inspiration or motivation so much. You just do what you need to do to move forward. It’s an internal thing vs. external validation.
I’ve been chewing on this since I got up this morning. The “why” at this level totally scares the bejesus out of me. I love Peter’s answer “Because… it causes me.” I relate to Betsy in that I to can get lost in life’s challenges. And like Stacey’s comment that it can be hard to define. Stepping out of the closet, into the truth I look at like being a maverick. I’m so awed and inspired by people that do it. As I’ve tried to define it, it seems to slip away. In my infancy of 51 years on planet earth, and the few times I sensed I’ve experienced the “big why” it rocked my soul because I felt it. I felt it in my heart. There was no right or wrong to it. Once I felt it, I believe it, or believed in it. I feel to experience this more.
I’m grateful for this post Sandi, and appreciate all the sharing here. I’m particularly grateful to a group half my age, the mavericks of Parkour. Just dawned on me, I’m kinda blathering. The stream of tears down my face at least indicates to me, I was feeling it.
Ahh Michael, heartful man that you are. I so love reading your comment and connecting to your experience of life. There’s no one whose blathering I appreciate more 🙂
The big why is always there, waiting to be uncovered and savoured like those times you felt it in your heart. Awhile back in a course I took I understood deeply that my being here makes a difference. At the time I felt it was still too small of a why, you know? I wanted a bigger, more majestic, world changing why. Now it has become the source of all. When I sit down to write – my being here makes a difference. When I coach – my being here makes a difference. Those are the two areas of my life where I feel it most strongly.
As I wrote above, I believe our big why is yearning to be expressed and it’s a journey. All is well.
Hi Sandi
I’m experiencing a rather strange – but wonderful – relationship with my
purpose/passion right now. After 7 years of health challenges I am on the cusp
of being well and I am finding that having a clear idea of how I want to live is
helping me to get there – almost giving me a reason to move from this safe place
of semi-recovery to full recovery.
It has been so interesting watching my mind and body work together on this.
My strategy used to be to focus on getting well first and then once I was well I
would decide what I was going to do, but I was looking at it the wrong way
round.
But not anymore! I am dreaming big, excited about life and ready to be
healthy!
Karen
Hey Karen,
Good to see you here and happy to hear your story. You’re not the only one who’s been doing it the wrong way round! As LaVonne mentioned in her comment, this along with going through periods questioning our why is more normal than we usually think!
Hi, Karen —
I feel like I’m in the same place as you — just on the cusp of getting well from all sorts of health challenges. Loved what you said about the safety of semi-recovery. Me too, me too! And about getting it backwards. Me too, me too! And dreaming big, etc. Me too, me too!
Carol, the Copy Cat! 🙂
Wonderful thoughts, Sandi! For me, I continually go back to the question of Why, what is my purpose here? And I find that it evolves along with everything else. It’s a question I’ve gone back to recently, why am I here online? Sometimes it’s not just the Big Why, it’s also the Which Way? I’ve lost my way for a little bit, which means I focus on self care more than anything else, holding on to authenticity as my guiding light. Thankfully, direction has started coming back to me. I know that in time, the Universe will show me the way.
I think questioning the why is a good thing and like everything else in life it evolves. The more it’s linked to our values the more a common theme or why emerges. And then we get to express it from wherever we are in life. That’s the part that is sometimes surprising 🙂
Wonderful thoughts, Sandi! For me, I continually go back to the question of Why, what is my purpose here? And I find that it evolves along with everything else. It’s a question I’ve gone back to recently, why am I here online? Sometimes it’s not just the Big Why, it’s also the Which Way? I’ve lost my way for a little bit, which means I focus on self care more than anything else, holding on to authenticity as my guiding light. Thankfully, direction has started coming back to me. I know that in time, the Universe will show me the way.
My “why” is because I *love* it…I mean I get a huge charge out of what I’m doing right now. Finding my soul work has been a lot like my dating life back in the day. Some things were great, just not good for me, some things were just awful and I should’ve never gone there. Some things, I loved, but they didn’t love me back so I had to let go. In the process though, I was learning about myself, about what makes me *tick, tick, tick* There was something pulling me, something that made all my past choices make sense. Something that blended everything I loved the most — it was the thing where I felt most whole, alive, and big. I decided to follow it and trust it, and when the lizard brain stuff comes up, I look at what will be if I stop versus what will be if I continue. The love I have for working with other creatives is so strong, the rush of research, pouring over beautiful creations, and writing, etc. brings me back to the why and I keep it movin’.
Jen,
Your comment has me grinning so BIG! It’s the perfect example of when your why is big enough anything is possible! Thanks for sharing and making my day!
So I’m now outed as a person who goes back and reads what they wote, lol! Day-making is good stuff and now I’m smiling and my day has been made…full circle!
Hi, Sandi. Loved what you said about Mother Theresa et al being ordinary people with very big whys. I agree.
As for my big why — I thought I knew, but I don’t. Ouch! Or I can’t put it into words. Double Ouch since I’m a writer!
Well, I know this about my big why. I’m going to express it with my writing and talking. And it’s got something to do with being of service and being my biggest, most authentic self. And I’ve got to do it because it’s why I’m here. It’s who I am. I have no choice but to do it.
Now if only I could figure out what “it” is . . . . . . . . Could it be as simple as communicate in a way that makes a difference in people’s lives? Help!
And now we’re in the thick of “it” 😉
What if it is as simple as communicate in a way that makes a difference in people’s lives? Would you be ok giving yourself over to that purpose?
Yes!
My greatest why is the why inside my mind. Will there be any purpose if I find the answer to my why? Or could it be that allowing what is will answer everything?
Just a thought. 🙂
Walter,
I don’t think there’s a right way to any of this, only what feels good and right for you!
I’m still searching for my why – maybe even continuously searching. But I know it’s a very big why. And I know it’ll make my work a thousand times better once I find out what exactly it entails, if I ever will.
It can be a bit like hunting for treasure don’t you think? I think if you keep searching with an intention for it to be revealed it will be. That’s my heartfelt belief 🙂
Sandi, great question. What the heck is the point? My new purpose in life is to be content with my disadvantages. Why? Becuase that what I was born to learn how to do.
I really like that Pic, BTW
Vic,
That picture is a mural in Vancouver was taken on my iPhone! Cool that you like it 🙂
As for disadvantages, I think they always offer up a gift if we choose to look!
p.s. Went to check out your site and love what you’re up to too!
I’m asking myself that question now. I want a soulful, thoughtful answer so it will probable take awhile for me to figure it out.
Good Question. For me I have found the creation of A String of Pearls a blogEzine for women by women
(shameless plug *wink*) was a Natural Step. I could not not build it. It seemed that all that has gone before (in real life and in my online life)has been to bring me to this point. I have a clear vision of what I am about…and this has contributed to the realisation that I now have no fear…I am comfortable to approach any woman anywhere and ask her to share her story. The question is good to answer, but also to be reminded by.
Jane
A big enough why…love that.
I don’t know how i missed this..but I did! sheesh.