One of the tools in my coach tool belt actually comes from Toyota. The Japanese automobile manufacturers came up with a simple but highly effective way of determining the root cause of an issue by asking a series of “Why” questions. As a coach, I often use this with my clients to help them understand their motivation behind their actions, thoughts or fears. You can also use this on your own through journaling.
Understanding why you do what you do is critical if you want to change a behavior. For example, if you notice that you tend to hit the break room and gorge on junk food when you’re under a lot of stress at work, digging into the Why can help you find more healthy and effective ways of handling your emotions.
Understanding your Why is also important to realizing your goals and feeling fulfillment. We all need to have a sense of purpose, to feel like what we’re doing matters, whether that’s on a small or large scale. When I was in a job that felt like it was sucking the life out of me, big shifts internally – which preceded the external shifts – happened when I started asking myself why I was doing the job. The title did fluff my feathers a bit, I’ll admit. And the money was really good and made obtaining material things fun for a while. At first, I also enjoyed the challenge of the work. But when those things became less important to me, I realized I needed to find another way to make a living that was more in line with my values.
Why do I coach people on career issues and challenges? The tools and training I’ve received have given me so much freedom and peace from the limiting and painful thoughts (that I didn’t realize I was creating), and I want to give others that same freedom to allow them to fulfill their own goals. I have experienced time and again that coaching works, both personally by getting coached and with my own clients, and I love being in the position to help others find their purpose and joy in their work.
So what’s your why? I’d love to hear in the comments below!