Week 1: Start with Why
KEY POINTS:
1. The first step is educating yourself and others what the program is and is not.
2. Take time to figure out the why - why are you doing this? Why is this important to you? Why are you trying to achieve these things?
3. Once you and others have a clear shared vision, you will all be more likely to get on board and stick with the program.
“Success is a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.”
The first step you must take before even starting the program is to make you and those around you are on board with it. Make sure you understand exactly what the program and its goals are. Educate yourself and others so everyone know what is happening. Get yourself prepared for the change so there is sufficient understanding of what’s coming and what to expect.
You must understand that we’re not trying to squeeze more blood out of a stone. We’re saying the stone’s not working well. You and others are getting sick, burned out, overweight, and stressed because of the way people are living and working, both outside and inside the workplace. By introducing a new way of working, we can change all of that and become more productive and efficient workers.
In the past, we may have feared that changing the way we work will be frowned upon, but when we look to some of the most successful companies in the world, such as Google and Apple, we quickly realize that a shift towards a workplace culture that puts the employee’s well-being at the centre is far more effective.
The single most important thing to start with is a shared, clear vision of the future. There is great value in identifying motivations behind actions and making sure to look at the bigger picture. This is why books like “Start with Why” by best-selling author Simon Sinek are so popular. When you take time to figure out the why, you are better equipped to overcome any challenges to the new way of doing things that might arise in your life or workplace. Tell those around you why you are doing this. If you’re clear about why you are going to do this, everyone will be on the same page and understand why change is so needed.
This week’s exercise is about helping you find your “Why”.
I'd like you to look back on the dream and goal setting that we did at the beginning of the program.
Then I'd like you to dive into your work a bit deeper. Take a look at your dreams and goals and then ask yourself, why? Why do you want to achieve those things? Then ask again. Go deeper. Get to the root of why you want what you want. If we can build our actions and our habits onto the things we find personally meaningful, we will be much more driven to achieve the dreams and goals we set out.
For example, when I was in high school I wanted to make the Olympics in swimming. But at the deepest level I loved to be in the water. Annalise Carr swam across Lake Ontario at 13 years of age, and at the deepest level that was to raise money for a cancer camp.
If you can find the deep reasons why you do things, you will be absolutely unstoppable.
See pages 17 - 18 in The Focus Effect Workbook or click Here to download the individual exercise. First you’ll need to revisit the 3 dreams you set back at the start of the program. Then, ask yourself “Why?”. Not once, but 5 times (or as close to 5 as you can). Once you’ve established the roots of your Why’s, you’ll be prompted to write out a short reflective statement of your “Who” - i.e. Who do you want to be in life?
Bonus Material
Watch Greg and Bruce discuss the Power of Why
Watch this video of best-selling author Simon Sinek on finding your “Why”
The information and advice provided in this program is intended to assist you with improving your performance, as well as your general health. It is not intended and should not be used in place of advice from your own physician or for treatment or diagnosis of any specific health issue. By participating in this program you acknowledge that undertaking any new health, diet and/or exercise regime involves certain inherent risks, that you assume such risks, and that you release Wells Performance Inc. from any responsibility or claim relating to such participation.