So how do you actually go about discovering your Big Why? Well, first and foremost you should purchase the book (see what I did there). But to get started while you are waiting for it to ship, you need to start asking yourself some questions, because what it really boils down to is introspection. But it is introspection in a very focused way. It is going back into your past to the moments or sequences of events that shaped who you are today. It is looking at your family and your upbringing. It is about your wins and your losses and those keystone moments. It is about remembering who you are at your core. What were you like as a child prior to growing up and attaining more responsibilities in your life? What were you into? But more importantly, WHY were you into it?
This is an important distinction when talking about your Big Why. When you actually get into figuring out what your Big Why is you first have to clarify the reason something is important to you. A Big Why is not a thing, it is a reason. Many people say that my Big Why is helping to save children from human trafficking. They are right in that this is how it plays out. But that is the extrinsic side of what you are seeing. It is not actually the Why itself, which is always intrinsic. It resides on the inside and is the motivation behind the action. My Big Why is actually to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. So when I was presented with the human trafficking of children problem it was a natural fit. What we really want to do today and what you will need to continue to do in the days and weeks to come, is to try and figure out what that internal motivation, that Why, is. Then when you are presented with the external outlet, you will be ready to go with your hair on fire.
Everyone needs motivation in their life to accomplish things on a daily basis, but motivation can only get you so far. Inspiration is much more powerful. Inspiration comes from the inside; from you. It is not dependent on listening to someone else or seeing something in order to get your momentum moving in a forward direction. To be clear, both motivation and inspiration are crucial to accomplishing goals, but inspiration will last much longer and is the fuel of good Big Why.