Feeling Stuck? You’re Not Alone Amigo!
Have you ever woken up one morning and asked yourself, “What’s the point of doing anything?” If you have I’m here as a business coach to tell you that’s entirely normal and that you are in no way a freak of nature. Everyone is susceptible to going through the daily motions of life on autopilot. Simply doing the same things over and over because they’re easy and predetermined. Choosing to not have to make a choice can be oddly cathartic and oftentimes feels safe. Safe is comfortable, and comfortable makes us feel good, even if it’s not what’s best for us in reality. So how does one get out of this doom loop? The answer lies in finding one’s own personal definition of self-awareness. Does this sound like a daunting and overwhelming task? Well, my friends, I’m here to walk you down the path of attaining true and unwavering self-awareness. HA! Just kidding… I don’t possess the maturity, knowledge, or vocabulary to help you in that regard. However, I can offer you a much simpler solution that could, in theory, help you achieve greater happiness if applied properly. Try refining your why and see just how that can affect your overall ambitions, energy, and success.
Let me phrase it as simply as I can here. Think of something that gives you purpose and strive to achieve it every day as a new rule. This can be anything, as long as it’s something measurable and realistic. Defining your own lanes and metrics for success will help to give you the much-needed structure and motivation you’ve been lacking in order to feel more accomplished. This is a common factor in both personal lives as well as business. Those who do not possess their own why will be doomed to repeat the same boring, unfulfilling, and unsuccessful behaviors over and over again.
What’s a Why and WHY Is It Important?
After that intro, you’re most likely either on my team here or you’re further lost down the self-actualization rabbit hole. Either way, I don’t blame you. After all, the mere conversation of the importance of having a “why” is enough to make anyone panic. Well fear not friends, Im here to hold your hand and talk you through the inevitable panic attack that you’re going to experience while reading this business coach blog. Let’s start with the basics: a “Why” is simply the reason why we choose to do anything at all. Are you a business owner? If so, ask yourself why you choose to go back to the office every day. What outcome do you expect to achieve as a result of your hard work and sacrifice? Why did you decide to go through the hell of being your own boss? Or maybe you’re a stay-at-home parent with three kids and a yappy Yorkipoo. Try asking yourself why you chose to start a family. What do you want for your family to achieve?
Regardless of the mission, without an established meaning for success, all is pointless. I know that seems bleak, but trust me here. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve no doubt had an awful experience working a tiring job that you didn’t enjoy. Every single day felt like an unending, repetitive hell. Or you’ve found yourself stuck in a dreary encounter with “friends” that don’t share any interests and invite you to do activities that you fundamentally hate. Whatever the situation is, you’re most likely going to find yourself feeling regret and disappointment if you don’t have an established why to push you forward. Please keep in mind that whys are unique. Don’t let anyone else try and tell you what your why should be. IF you allow such behavior you’re going to end right back up at the beginning. Don’t pass go. Don’t collect $200. Instead of seeking approval or assistance, try pursuing the things that motivate you and make you feel genuine happiness. Just so long as your why isn’t evil… I’m looking at you Bond villains.
Jason’s Daily Goals For Achieving a Dope Life (My Why In A NutShell)
So how do I make this all seem more real and attainable? I know! How about I explain to you, dear business coach blog reader, what my whys in life are. Let me first start by saying that I too was stuck at one point not knowing my why or even that I needed one in order to succeed. I was kind of the king of wandering aimlessly and succumbing to my own existential dread episodes once a month. Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. But it wasn’t until I defined what I wanted out of life that I started to feel accomplished for the first time ever. Once I found what my driving forces were, I began to see opportunities for the first time and even began growing exponentially. At this point, you might have noticed that I said I have “whys” and not just a singular why. That’s because my purpose comes from three major beliefs that I hold dear. Without these three beliefs, I’d be left bereft and without any semblance of a vision. So what exactly are my whys? It’s simple, there: DDS, MSS, & DBAD. No, I didn’t just have a stroke… Those are the abbreviated versions of my daily goals for life. Allow me to explain.
DDS – Do Dope Sh*t (Or… Do Dope Stuff) –
One of my fundamental beliefs is that I should strive to do at least one dope thing every day. So what does that mean? Well, Dope is a slang term that is synonymous with excellent, or rather another version of a seal of approval. To me, doing something dope each and every day means completing a task that I find exciting, fulfilling, exhilarating, or for lack of a better word, badass. I make it a personal mission to avoid letting my head hit the pillow if I haven’t experienced at least one example of dope each day.
MSS – Make Someone Smile –
Life is too short to live every day pissed off and angry. Even if I don’t feel like the world has my back, I still make it a point to have someone else’s. Come hell or high water. Words cannot express the genuine joy I get from making a friend or even a stranger laugh or smile. I could be having the world-record-holding crappiest day in existence and I’d still try to find a way to get a chuckle out of somebody. Spreading joy helps get me through the day so I make it a point to focus on that no matter what.
DBAD – Don’t Be A D*CK (Or, Don’t Be A Jerk… Don’t Be A Douche Canoe, Don’t Be A Richard, Don’t Be A Dumpster Person, Etc.) –
This is by far one of my most important golden rules/whys. It would be impossible to achieve my first two goals if I were to fall short in this category alone. It doesn’t matter how bad the world gets, nobody has the right to ruin someone else’s day by being a jerk. It’s actually way easier to focus on the positive and do something good in order to escape a negative situation, rather than making things far more difficult by being an ass hat.
I’ve learned over the years that my whys keep me grounded and focused on what’s important to me. Without them, I’m nothing. Happiness feels hollow, the achievement is a pipedream, and motivation is nonexistent. My friends, I beg you, learn from my previous business coach mistakes and take the time to determine what makes you want to do great things. I promise you won’t regret it.
