Life Lesson #1: Clarity

Summary: Do you know why you are doing what you are doing? Clarity is important in all areas of life, from work to relationships to personal goals. When you know why you are making a decision, it is easier to stay motivated and achieve your goals.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarity is important in all areas of life. When you know why you are doing something, it is easier to make decisions and stay motivated.

• Don't make decisions based on what others are doing. Instead, make decisions that are aligned with your own purpose and values.

• To gain clarity, ask yourself "why" five times. This will help you drill down to the root of your motivation.

Clarity: defined in Oxford Language as, “the quality of being coherent and intelligible.” Understand why you are doing what you are doing. Whether in work, relationships, or life, know at your core why YOU are making that decision.

Too often decisions are made because it is what others are doing or those we look up to are doing it, but the reason we make a decision should be clearly known and understood by us. When I worked in athletics I wanted to become a director of athletics because it was the path that others were taking or saw as the pinnacle of our world in athletics.

When I moved into corporate I wanted to be a CEO or VP of a unit because it is where I could be most influential. In both of those journeys of my life, I did not have clarity on my WHY as to doing them. Years into both professions I learned that neither being an AD or CEO would fulfill me or my purpose. Neither aligned with my why nor my purpose in life, they were mere titles with assumed responsibilities of meaningful impact.

As you gain clarity in understanding why you are making your decisions, make sure they are aligned with your purpose, direction, and desires. To understand and gain clarity, as I have done in writing this, ask yourself “why” your decision is meaningful to you at least five times to drill down to the core of your reasoning.

If you find yourself stuck or unsure why you are making a decision after asking yourself once or twice, maybe you aren’t so clear on your reasoning or your decision is influenced by others. Knowing at one’s core enlivens an anger or gleeful response.

Ask yourself "why" five times. This will help you drill down to the root of your motivation.

Be honest with yourself about your values and goals. What is important to you? What do you want to achieve?