Why? This simple question is at the heart of most of our existence. Often times formulating our existence around that why and so our identity follows. This is my purpose. This is my "why." This is who I am supposed to be. Right?
What is a "why?" Your why is the drive or motivation behind what you do and how you do it. This creates the framework for our motivation and potential to reach our goals.
Well what if we don't have a "why?" Is life supposed to be more meaningful than this? Am I living this life wrong?
Let me propose two very different perspectives - both for and against this concept of needing a "why."
Having a solid "why", a foundation of values and personal beliefs will %100 help keep a person focused toward their goals. A firm understanding of your why vastly increase self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation, making you way more likely to continue pursuing the task. Your "why" now makes your goal a little more simple to achieve. Plainly put - Your intent is to accomplish a specific task and are motivated to make it happen. But what happens when that motivation runs out? Surely we can't stay focused forever. Energy is finite.
Without asking yourself what your "why" is, surely one is bound to wander aimlessly in pursuit of nothing. Well, maybe. Let's talk about that a little more.
By now it's clear - having a "why" helps us achieve our goals. But what happens in there interim when we are setting new ones? We should always be pursuing something right? WRONG!!! Give yourself permission to relax and simply be.
I was perusing the internet the other day and found a passage from an ancient text that really change the way I see the world. The passage loosely read, "What if we are no different than nature? What if we are supposed to grow like the trees and the weeds - beautiful weird, wild and wonderful - then given right back to the Earth..." What a thought! Whenever I am feeling a little existential I like to remind myself of that thought. Be like the tree as it grows. We don't HAVE to have a why. We give one to ourselves to find a deeper meaning and drive toward the things we want to. In today's modern world, there is no communal human goal - so we must create our own.
So if you really think about it, we are intelligent monkeys on a floating rock with no real purpose here, other than to enjoy our existence. For some, simply connecting with nature and enjoying the trips around the sun is a fruitful enough endeavor for a lifetime. For others it could be the pursuit of money, power or legacy. Regardless of which perspective you jive with, I think you'll find that a balance of the two is where the sweet spot is.
Ultimately, there is no wrong answer to how to live this beautiful life - but I do think there are some simple ways of finding joy that don't require a constant pursuit. Knowing when to double down on your "why" and when to step back and be one with the universe is a balance only you can master.
I hope by sharing this you are able to apply some of these concepts to your own life. Slow down and vibe out. Read a book, take a nap, go for a hike, bake a cake - do whatever your weird self (I mean that lovingly) feels compelled to do want. We don't need to constantly chasing something to live a happy life. Most importantly - don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.
Hope this was of value to you.
Much love,
-Korey
Comments