Turn Baby Steps into Big Leaps + "5 Whys" Exercise

Many people begin their journeys of personal growth with “What They Do”. I was one of them; for a long time, I thought that if I could just get up at 5 AM, and perform a complex morning routine full of self-improvement tools, that I’d be on my way to the big-times. Cold showers, morning journaling, visualizations, exercise, meditation, and lots of vegetables…

Don’t get me wrong, these are ALL immensely valuable, and I continue to work on them today, but for over 5 years, I was spinning my wheels without really going anywhere far. I was taking baby steps, but I wanted big leaps!

Then, by a stroke of good luck, I saw a TED Talk by Simon Sinek titled “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”. Something fundamental in that talk changed my life forever, and it’s this: It’s not what you do that matters most… It’s how you do it and even more importantly, why you do it. I want to take this opportunity to thank Simon for opening my eyes to this concept, and for the countless hours of mentorship I’ve received from him since then.

So here’s the big idea that I want to pose to you today in terms of personal growth and self-improvement… It’s not the contents of your habits and routines that are going to take you where you want to go. Cold showers will not make you more creative, more loved, or more successful. Figure out How to do them, and articulate your BIG Reasons Why, then nothing can stop you!

Here’s an example statement to help you understand what I mean:

The old way, starting with What: “I wake up every morning at 5 so I can get hydrated, exercise, meditate, and practice my morning routine (WHAT). Over time, I hope to install these activities as habits so they will carry me towards greater abundance, love, and creativity (HOW). One day, I will be able to quit my job so I can work from home and raise my family in the comfort of my own home (WHY).

The new way, starting with Why: “I am full committed to doing whatever it takes to raise my family in the comfort of my own home (WHY). To do this, I will cultivate good habits that will empower me to pursue working from home, which will carry me towards greater abundance, love and creativity (HOW).? I am willing to wake up every morning at 5 AM to perform my morning routine because I am All-In on creating the life of my dreams, and I know that if I concentrate on becoming the kind of person that I want to be, it’s inevitable that greater success will follow (WHAT).

Notice the gravitas of the second statement compared to the first. Starting with your BIG Reasons immediately gets to the emotional core of your pursuit for personal growth. We don’t want to simply adopt success habits in the name of having a disciplined morning routine - we want it to take us somewhere and help us become a better person in the process. So what are you working towards? Why are you pursuing personal growth in the first place?

To help you get to the root of your Why, and develop your BIG Reasons, here's a helpful exercise called The 5 Whys. State what you’re doing to carry yourself forward, and then ask Why 5 subsequent times until you reach the emotional core of your desire. Here’s my example:

I want to develop a morning routine that consists of waking up early, practicing meditation, working out, and taking a cold shower.

1. Why? Because I want to optimize my health with a morning routine.
2. Why? So I can feel energized and focused every morning, and be more productive.
3. Why? Because I want to take full advantage of my potential and drive towards my Highest Aim of making an exceptional living from home.
4. Why? Because I believe that if I can work from home, I will be happier, and my life will be more fulfilling.

Now here's the juicy part... My eyes welled up as I was typing this, and that's what we want; EMOTION!

1. Why? Because my wife and I just started a family, and I want to be there when my daughter says her first words and takes her first steps.

Try it out for yourself, and see where it takes you!