In yesterdays post was about treating your writing like a job. This I said will help you get out of bed, stay up late, and place it on a higher level of importance. But one commenter brought up a great point that I failed to mention. Getting out of bed and getting to work is much more compelling when we know the reason we are doing it.
Discovering Your Why
Do you have a dream or project that you enjoy and want to work harder at but just cannot bring yourself to do it consistently? I totally get that. Many writers bail after the first year or so. I once read that the average blog lasts eight months.
Writing day after day without recognition or any growth that we can see is tough. Part of the reason is the “I want success now” mentality of our western culture. The other part? Maybe we don’t have a ‘Why’, a reason we are doing it.
Have you ever sat down and thought of your Why? The reason you are writing or chasing your dream in the first place? If it is money you have most likely figured out you may have a better chance of making more money doing part time shifts at Starbucks for years than making millions on your creative endeavor.
Okay money may become part of the equation, but I firmly believe your Why must mean more than this. It must give you a thrill or a tickle or a vision of a life worth living when you think of it.
Give Your Why Some Space
Don’t know what your Why is? It can be tricky if you haven’t given it any thought. I encourage you to take a chunk of time and go somewhere you get clarity. Go visit a park, a coffee shop, or a dark closet where no one can find you.
Then think for however long it takes you to give you clarity. You’ll most likely have to revisit this time and time again and it may change as you grow. But the overall purpose of discovering your Why will go a long way toward motivating you to work harder and invest more in the life you want.
My Why
My Why is twofold. One, I love encouraging people. I love to bring energy to projects and help people realize their potential. Second, I’d love to write and speak for a living and hopefully elbow out more time with my family.
These are the reasons I write.
What is/are your Why(s)?
PART-TIME NOVEL 
I know that I write for more than one reason, but not all of them are easy to articulate. There is one, however, that I share often: Writing helps me understand how I really think and feel about my experiences. It helps me reflect and keep moving.
It seems a little selfish, now that I’ve written it out. But I won’t stop. 🙂
I suppose I should have put two main ones in my post. That is another of mine! Great point.
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Another great post, Mr. Evenhouse. The only thing I would change would be to capitalize all the letter of ‘why’. The WHY is crucially important and to be honest, I’ve never really thought about it. I do it because I have a proclivity for it. I am a storyteller at my core, whether it is the written word, talking about my business(es) or presenting to a group, it is what I enjoy.
But that’s just the surface… I will have to do as you suggest and lock myself away to figure out my true WHY.
Rob, thank you for your kind words. Let me know what you find out once you consider your WHY.