Establishing the ‘why’ of things isn’t easy

As leaders and conscious people, we are encouraged to come into contact with our own personal purpose, our ‘why’ – individually and within organisations. Why do we exist, what is it that we are bringing into the world? In what way are we adding value, something unique or important? Why is the world better for our presence and dedication?

These can feel like deep and simultaneously lofty questions – at times almost existential. And given that, we can often retreat into defining purpose as being about what we do, but unless we are clear on the underpinning ‘why’ it can feel very hollow.

At this time in human evolution there are huge ‘why’ questions hanging out there. Why is the world unfolding as it is? Why are our politicians acting as they are? What’s the underpinning meaning behind all that is occurring in our world? We will each have our own theories and perspectives. However, unless we are connecting with our wisdom, our higher sense of meaning then it’s quite possible we will only be getting part of the insights we need. Indeed, even with our higher wisdom, the ‘why’, the purpose of all that is occurring may feel elusive or hard to make sense of.

Yet we have a responsibility to keep asking the question of ourselves and testing the insights that emerge against the highest possible values and ideals that we can. This is at the core of leadership. Not positional leadership but ‘essential leadership’, conscious leadership. Holding ourselves and our communities to the highest possible values so that they inform our ‘why’, our purpose in the right way. Creating something powerful, a reasoning, a meaning to life that adds value – that gives purpose its highest possible value.

That said, it isn’t easy to keep asking why. There is a coaching technique called the 5 ‘whys’ in which the coach asks ‘and why is that, and why is that, 5 times. Each time penetrating a deeper level of insight and knowing. It can become frustrating and yet is also deeply revealing.

We owe ourselves, our communities and our world the focus, determination and commitment needed to keep asking the ‘whys’ so that self-honesty emerges within us and a pathway to a higher purpose can be forged and lived. Connecting us with the qualities of love and will to good. Imagine that.