The Importance of Having Purpose and Reason
You have heard these words echoed many times… “What is your WHY?” Jeremy Fouts shares his thought this question often. With the new year well under way, we thought now is a good time to dive into the importance of having a meaningful “why” in your life to help anchor you in good and bad times.
How would you describe a “why”?
A “why” can be best described as a main goal that drives you on a daily basis. Your why, is the main goal and it is achieved by breaking it down to smaller goals or steps. It becomes the fire in your belly, the tears you cry at night and the reason you are striving to become a better person.
Every person’s why is different….for many it is in the form of financial freedom, that is achieved through a calculated plan of attack. Others may come in the form of purchasing a home for the first time or a family vacation that you have only dreamed of thus far. There is no right or wrong, but YOU must make a decision of what that is and make a plan.
Your “why” is what will keep you going in the face of disappointment and frustration. WHY is what moves YOU!
Jeremy Fouts shares how to find your “why”?
Finding your why can be a process. It may require you to make lists of needs and wants and then further the process by prioritizing them. If you are a visual person, a vision board may help you identify your why. Get your family and loved ones involved, listening to others input can help you see things in a different light.
In closing, here is a small excerpt Jeremy Fouts shares in numerous trainings, on realizing your why and how it contributes to everything from your long-term health to your overall satisfaction with life and success.
“There was a time in my life when I wasn’t really sure what my why was and it was during those years I felt myself floundering. Going from one job to the next, one goal to the next not sure where my life would take me. I grew up in a wonderful family, but in some ways there was a sense of survival from one day to the next. I never really had time to contemplate what my why was. I knew I had faith in God, I knew I cared for others, but I was just living day-by-day. Fast forward and I began to realize that one of my major “why’s” was sitting right beside me. Her name was Candice, she had always been my rock. Upon contemplating my purpose she also became part of my why. My why was completed after we were blessed with two amazing children. The three most important things in my life that combined to create my why were my sweet family: I cared so deeply for them. I didn’t know a love like that existed. Now this is the important part to remember, each of us have our own reason and purpose, we will all have different “why’s”. Don’t compare yourself or mimic someone else’s why, dig deep and figure out what will drive you forward when the world seems against you. What will push you to forge ahead when the going gets tough; really consider what is of the utmost importance to you and you will find your why.
Once I arrived at my why, I could start to visualize what I wanted my life to look like. I wanted to be a full time stay at home dad, cook my family breakfast in the morning, be there for every game, first date, first time strapping on skis, all of the firsts that come with understanding my why. And it gave me the motivation to really serve others and give the time and effort I needed to accomplish my goals that eventually granted me success. It hasn’t always been easy. There were days I wanted to quit. But I kept going because there was never a time that I couldn’t close my eyes and visualize my why, and because of that major purpose I forged ahead, no matter the storm.
It is still the reason I do what I do today. I love to help people. I care deeply that people succeed in accomplishing their goals. It’s the reason many times I end up coaching individuals late into the wee hours of the morning. But once someone finds their why, there is no greater reward. I never tire of hearing the sound of someone’s voice when their why finally clicks.
No matter what else you do in life, no matter how far you have come, if you have not identified your why yet, please do it now. You will thank yourself for the rest of your life. Your why will be directly linked to your success. And you deserve all the success in the world.”
Look around the blog to learn more as Jeremy Fouts shares more of his leadership messages right here at https://jeremyfouts.net
