Topic of the day: The importance of asking why
If you stop what you are doing right now and ask why you are doing that, what would be your answer? Of course, if you were only reading this article, the answer might seem obvious, but this is not always the case.
We, humans, are moved by reasons and finding the right ones to move ahead and evolve is one of our main goals in life. Many things we do become much clearer after finding out why we are doing them; why should we spend our precious time, energy and effort on such activity.
There are many cases when we are just drifting from one activity to the next without being aware of how and why we got there. In our free time, it is very common that we are trapped in advertisements, social networks, TV programs, and many other modern distractions and entertainment activities, that were just created to make us consume. In this case, we are behaving according to other people’s agenda.
This can also happen in our work environment, when we are demanded from different sides: customers, colleagues, acquaintances, in activities that are not our core. In these situations, we are also behaving according to someone else’s agenda.
In any case, you should always ask yourself why you are doing that. If the answer is satisfactory and makes you motivated to do whatever you were doing, so just go ahead. But, on the other hand, if the answer is just because someone asked you to do, or you even don’t know why, then you have to do some homework in order to evaluate your priorities and better focus your efforts.
Many people complain that they don’t have time to do what they really want, and in my opinion, they do not know what they want, otherwise, why would someone still do other things that are not important? Obviously, there are cases in which the person does something because they have a family to supply or is helping a relative or friend, and then the answer is more than clear. But if the person is just doing that because it’s convenient, then again they should revise their priorities in life.
Here goes one example from myself: I asked one day why do I like sports?
Answer: Because it contributes to my health and fitness; it brings me peace of mind and help to clarify my ideas; I keep an active lifestyle and challenge my own limits; I often travel to new places and meet interesting people. It is also my live entertainment, instead of just being passive in front of a TV screen.
I encourage you to find your own reasons behind what you do. By clarifying your real purpose, you become more aware of yourself and focus your energy on what really matters to you.
