Finding Your Why Again
In his book The Infinite Game, Simon Sinek challenges the conventional thinking that dominates much of today’s business world. Sports, as we know, have a clear beginning, middle, and end - played by known players with set rules and a defined objective. But business is not like that. Business is an infinite game - players come and go, rules can be flexible (except for laws), and there’s no finish line, no ultimate ‘win.’ The actual objective is to keep playing and thriving. This requires building companies that are resilient and adaptable enough to keep going.
When facing unknown challenges, consider it a test of your possibility thinking. Instead of seeing obstacles as roadblocks, try viewing them as invitations to create simplicity, clarity, and certainty amidst the chaos. I’ve lived this firsthand in Zimbabwe, where hyperinflation and political turmoil tested us daily. My biggest lesson? The power of hope. As John Maxwell puts it,
“Where there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present.”
But I’m not talking about passive hope, the kind that wishes things magically improved tomorrow. I’m talking about active hope grounded in believing our efforts can make a difference. In her book Grit, Angela Duckworth emphasises that “I have a feeling tomorrow will be better” is worlds apart from “I resolve to make tomorrow better.” We must take ownership of our future and act. It’s easy to get swept up in what’s going wrong; negativity can feel like it’s all around us. But today's challenge is to seek the good, recalibrate, and focus on what we can improve.
‘But Gary’. I hear you say, ‘I am bored. I have this persistent, gnawing sense of just going through the motions.’
Is this you? You know you’re competent and experienced, but motivation is a daily struggle. You push yourself through willpower alone, yet it feels draining and unsustainable. Trust me - you’re not alone. I’ve been there too, struggling to find meaning, even as I tried every tactic - affirmations, self-talk, exercise, financial management, social plans. Despite these efforts, nothing brought lasting motivation.
Then came my aha moment. I stumbled across a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche:
“He who has a why, to live can bear almost any how.”
It’s a quote I’d read before, but this time, it hit differently. Why? Because I was ready to find a solution. John Maxwell echoes this with his version:
“He who has a why will find a way.”
I was prepared to find a way. This was my reminder to step back and revisit my ‘why’ - not just professionally, but personally as well. I had clarity on what I was doing and how to do it, but somewhere along the way, I had lost sight of why I was doing it.
Rediscovering my “why” changed everything. I asked myself deep, meaningful questions, worked through my answers, and eventually made a transformative decision to step away from a secure career to pursue my path. The results have been beyond rewarding for me and those I’ve shared this journey with. This does not have to be your path. One friend, who followed a similar process, found a renewed love for their work and a more profound sense of purpose where they were. Fundamentally, when you rediscover your why, the how becomes possible. I have always had a life mission statement and have recently revisited my values – they do evolve – yet despite this, I found answering a dozen questions beneficial to help me clarify my why. I urge you to take the time to answer the following questions:
What are you passionate about?
What are your evident strengths, skills, and abilities?
What would you like to be doing five years from now?
What is the better future you create for others?
What do you love? a.k.a. What makes your heart swell? What do you cherish?
What do you hate, a.k.a. what is your fight? What boils your blood? What injustices or wrongs are you determined to make right?
What does success mean to you? (Not as the world describes it or your role requires, but what does success mean to you?)
Write your eulogy now – how do you want to be remembered by your partner, children, siblings, colleagues, community, etc?
What topics do you find yourself continuously exploring or learning about?
What problems do you most want to solve in the world? (even if you were not being paid to do so)
What is a personal transformation you’ve had or helped someone else get?
What do colleagues, family, friends, and peers consistently ask for your help on or about?
Now, look for links and patterns across the answers to find your why. Then, does your current role or company have anything in common with you? Any common problems, enemies, shared values, etc. If you can link who you are to what you do (your role and the outcome the role gives), you are well on your way to alignment. Make the time to do the work - you will be amazed at what you see.
If this resonates with you, I’ve created a comprehensive free resource to guide you through your ‘why’ discovery journey. You’ll find more of my favourite reflection questions to help you reconnect with your purpose, rekindle enthusiasm for your role, and chart your path forward. I’m confident they will inspire and empower you as they did for me. Access the resource here. However, before you download, I challenge you to answer a few reflection questions listed above to get your ‘brain in gear’ ready to deepen your engagement and output.
As Simon Sinek wrote:
“We all know what we do: the products we sell, the services we offer or the jobs we do. Some of us know how we do it: the things that we think make us different or stand out from the crowd. But very few of us can clearly articulate why we do what we do” *
Finding your why is an incredible opportunity as when you do rediscover your why, the how becomes possible.
Lead with impact.
Gary Good
Founder - LeaderLegacy
*Sinek, S., Mead, D., & Docker, P. (2017). Find your why: A practical guide for discovering purpose for you and your team. (p.12) Penguin Books.
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