I Found My WHY!
By: David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

Last week I wrote about one of the greatest WHY statements ever penned, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This statement from the Declaration of Independence has stood as an anchor of inspiration for our great country for over 242 years. As I mentioned in last week’s podcast, I embarked on a search for my personal WHY so I could have a statement that could stand as my anchor and inspiration for my life. A statement that could guide me through decisions and inspire me to pursue fulfillment in my life.

I began this search last fall when I read Simon Sinek’s book “Find Your Why.” While I was very eager to get going, things just seemed to always get in my way. Late spring when I just couldn’t wait any longer, I decided I needed to find a learning partner who would listen to my personal stories and asks probing questions for clarification.  My learning partner would then summarize my stories, help me see themes that might surface, and then help me clarify my final WHY statement.

After selecting my learning partner, I began writing down my earliest memories. Memories that went back to when I was three and half years old. Next, it was on to memories that have been etched in my mind over the years. Some memories were amazing and joyful, while others were very sad and heart wrenching to recall. Times when I was betrayed by people and times when I felt I had been the betrayer.

The process was almost therapeutic. It made me feel as though for the first time I was beginning to understand my true self and how I got to this point in my life. I came away from this exercise feeling refreshed and empowered.

When drafting your why statement, it needs to contain an action and a result. For instance, a statement that would read like this: To _________ SO THAT __________.  So here we go. This is my Draft Why Statement: “To enable others to live their life with purpose and together be a force for good in the world.”

Please join Marisa and me on The Next Page podcast as we walk through this process and discuss in detail how it all came together. We will also discuss why my statement is only a DRAFT.

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