What is Your Why?

Making a commitment is the first step to achieving a goal. When you first decided that you wanted to go to college, you made the commitment to study hard, get good grades, and do your best on the SATs.

When you wanted those designer jeans in high school - that your mom wouldn’t pay for because they were too expensive - you made the commitment to find lots of babysitting jobs and save your money until you had enough to buy those gorgeous jeans yourself.

And after getting laid off from your job, you committed to search, connect, and interview until you landed a new one.

Behind every commitment, you had a compelling reason. The compelling reason was what drove you to study, babysit, and send out one more resume, even when you didn’t want to.

The compelling reason was that you really wanted to get into a competitive college.

The compelling reason was that you desperately wanted those designer jeans that everyone else had.

The compelling reason was that you needed to support your family by putting food on the table and a roof over their heads.

In order to achieve any goal, your compelling reason will always be the foundation that propels you to stick to your commitment, no matter how hard or uncomfortable things get.

And you have many examples in your life where you have already been able to do just that.

What if you were able to transfer that skill of finding a compelling reason and committing to getting organized?

Find Your Compelling Reason

When you found yourself unexpectedly needing to find a new job, it was clear what your desired result was. You knew why you needed a new job and what it would cost you if you didn’t commit or follow through. You knew you needed to tap into the feeling of belief that you would find a new job and that you had to stop believing the doubtful thoughts that crept into your brain. You knew that to start making an income again, you had to focus on the goal ahead, no matter how difficult the journey became.

Most of the time, getting and staying organized can feel overwhelming. But what if whenever you start thinking that it is too hard or will take too long, or that you have too many things and not enough time, you stop and remember when you have done hard things before?  

When making the commitment to yourself to get your space organized, start by finding that compelling reason. It will be your “WHY.” Why you really want to get organized, why you will keep it uncluttered permanently, and why you will learn to manage your thoughts and emotions, even when they’re unpleasant.

Your compelling reason has to be the guiding force that will propel you forward when you really don’t want to take the time or effort. It will keep you motivated when you feel bad, when you have a busy day, or when you don’t want to file one more paper or commit to your calendar one more day.

Most importantly, your compelling reason has to be unique to you. Maybe you want to get organized so that you can actually work in your home office again. Perhaps it’s because you lost a stack of invoices, which meant you made less money last month. Do you feel like you waste too many minutes (or hours) of each day searching for things you need? Do you want to experience the peaceful energy from a well-organized office and calendar when you sit down to work each day? Are you sick and tired of feeling ashamed because you can’t seem to get your sh*t together?

Take Action 

Once you know what your compelling reason is, simply apply the same massive action that you have used in the past to get to your productivity goals. Make it a habit to remember and refocus on your reason. Use it as a guidepost that directs and motivates you as you persevere until you have achieved the results you want in your business and life.

If you haven’t zeroed in on your “why” yet for your home productivity journey, the time is now. You’ll be happy you did.