Find your why- collecting stories

马云：世界不是因为你能做什么，而是你该做什么

Jack Ma: Life is not about what you are able to do, but what you should be doing.
Author: 丁翔

Image credit: Simon Sinek 2013

In “Start with Why” and “Find your Why”, Simon Sinek and team talk about the importance of finding our motivation, our “Why”.

• Why we get out of bed?
• Why we do what we do? Get into university or find a job. Paying the bills is not a good motivator.
• When you can find your why, it resonates with your gut.

The process requires thinking of specific experiences and people in our life that have shaped who you are today. People who have been most influential in your life.

Some memory prompts:

• Think of a day at work, activity when as you headed home, you said to yourself, “I would have done that for free”. What happened that day that made you say that?
• Think of your worst day at work – the kind of day you hope would never be repeated again. What happened?
• At school, what was an experience, subject you loved?
• What was a pivotal moment in your life when you realised nothing would ever be the same?
• What have you accomplished that you’re really proud of? (Who else was involved? Was there someone who helped you, cheered you on.)
• Was there a time when you gave of yourself to help someone else, after which you felt very good – like it was something meaningful?

Possible themes

• To believe in people so that they can in turn believe in themselves
• To provoke people to think differently so that they can be awakened to new possibilities
• To inspire others to build skills and have a clear sense of vision so that they can accomplish much for themselves and their families, their communities.
• Inspire growth in people to serve a higher purpose
• To seek a life of passion, meaning and intensity, and be fully alive by inspiring others to forge an authentic, creative and unique path.

I have found the MBTI, Myers Briggs Type Instrument very useful in understanding the motivation or Why underlying my personality type.

Before you start thinking about the “WHAT” – type of organisation you want to work for, or create, start with WHY.   After you’ve discovered your why, the WHATs are products, services and job functions we perform. HOWs are values, guiding principles and actions.

There are several useful websites if you want to understand the tool without paying for it just yet:

https://personalityjunkie.com/free-online-personality-test/

https://thoughtcatalog.com/heidi-priebe/2015/10/how-to-motivate-each-myers-briggs-personality-type/

http://www.personalityperfect.com/myers-briggs-type-really-wants-life/

https://personalityjunkie.com/