– In order to truly motivate someone you must first determine their WHY? – Darren Hardy
I’ve been a troubleshooter for the vast majority of my Air Force Career. I spent the bulk of my 20 year stint repairing avionics systems: specifically lasers and infrared systems and all the test stations that accompanied. For the final 5 years I moved from troubleshooting electronics to troubleshooting management and organizational issues. As a management analyst I was invited into organizations to give an outside perspective on the way business was being done, seek out efficiencies and eliminate wasteful processes. You could say that troubleshooting is hardwired into me and I have a passion for it!
One of the basic premises of troubleshooting is the WHY? In my line of work I call it Root Cause Analysis. It’s not enough to immediately seek out solutions to the initial cause because that inevitably creates more work down the line. I used a process called 5-Why’s which constitutes asking why 5 times to dig deeper into the root cause. The key is to repair the Root Cause, not the symptom.
So why am I even talking about this on a fitness or personal development blog? It’s simple. The WHY is the epicenter for every single thing you do in life. It is the PRIME motivator. In Darren Hardy’s book “The Compound Effect” he tells a story about paying someone 20 dollars to cross between 2 tall buildings on a thin wooden plank. Most people would say no and insist that they could never do such a thing. He then mentions that the building is on fire and a young child needs to get to the other side. Suddenly the ability manifests itself; a CAN’T becomes a MUST. The only thing that changed between the 2 scenarios was the WHY.
Once you understand your why, clarity ensues. Find the true reason or root cause, as to why you want to change your eating habits, workout every day, focus on personal growth, or learn to help others then all of a sudden you’re “CAN’T” transforms into your “MUST!” That is when the magic happens. I know my WHY, I remind myself of it every time I push play. My WHY doesn’t end at the end of a 60 or 90 day program, it endures and therefore so do I. Only you can find your why. No one else can tell you. Maybe it’s your kids, maybe it’s your spouse, maybe it’s your deepest desires…whatever it may be, find it and grab a hold of it, write it down, read it every day until you memorize it. In those moments when you feel like you CAN’T endure…remember it. When the excuses try to hold you back, tell yourself your WHY. Start digging deeper: why do you want to lose weight, why is getting fit important, is this fad diet sustainable and will it help you achieve your ultimate goal? Doing this will help you eliminate the “quick fixes” or the “bandaids” and set you on a path of total transformation. Determine your why, and everything else will fall into place. I’ve found mine and I’m here to help you find yours!
MY WHY:
I will always be in physical shape to support and defend my family. I will always have the energy to play with my kids regardless of their age or mine. I will live to be at least 102 because I want to outlive my Grandfather, he was and is my inspiration. To me, he had a very fulfilling life and began the Pascual legacy at the strapping young age of 40 years old and saw multiple generations below him. Therefore, age will never be an excuse for me. I understand that in order to achieve this I must maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes daily exercise, healthy eating habits, and mental and spiritual growth. I will be forever young and if I stay ready, I will never have to get ready.
ASP Fit-Life 