Do you know why you get up in the morning, go to work, eat, sleep and repeat? In other words, do you have some sense of direction and purpose in your personal and professional life? If you can’t answer a clear and loud “yes” to these questions, don’t fret; many people don’t know why they do what they do and, as a result, don’t return home from work at the end of each day feeling fulfilled.

Start by offering your WHY statement to those who ask, “What do you do?”

This is a common question in any social situation, and it’s an opportunity to start getting comfortable with expressing your mission in life. Try it with the person sitting next to you on a plane, a fellow guest at a party or a stranger in a waiting room. You might be a little uncomfortable at first, but that’s the good thing about strangers – chances are you’ll never see them again. It also gives you the chance to fine-tune your WHY into a message you feel comfortable and confident saying.

More importantly, sharing your WHY with the world will push you to commit to it and back up your words with actions. The more you give voice to your intentions, the more likely you’ll be to follow through with them. Also, if your WHY statement is something like “helping people become the best version of themselves,” you could imagine that some might roll their eyes when they hear it. This is why you’ll want to have some actions that back up this bold assertion.

So the more others are familiar with your WHY and the more familiar you are with the WHYs of others, the better off we’ll all be, both personally and professionally.

Not knowing your purpose in life, or your WHY, can be a frustrating and confusing experience for individuals, businesses and teams. But there are ways to look within, understand your WHY and begin to live a motivated, passionate and productive life. When you fully realize your WHY, you can start thriving in both your personal and professional life.

To find your WHY, look to your most formative stories.

Our stories are an important part of the WHY discovery. When sharing your stories with someone who can help you discover important personal themes, it is important to share both good experiences and bad ones. They could be from your childhood or adulthood, as long as they played an important role in shaping the person you have become. The following video can help you as well! Good luck:)

Jay Shetty on Impact Theory:

Love, Marietta