Why do we do what we do?
Let’s face it, most of us exercise and diet to look better, which boosts our confidence. Humans value good physical traits, we are attracted to objects/people pleasing to the eye, a biological aspect that is inbuilt in us.
Some are truly participating in the name of health.
- Your doctor ordered you to start eating less or exercising more or run the risk of having a heart attack.
- You sprain your back while carrying something light
- You find yourself out of breath while running for the bus.
Point is, there are many reasons as to why you would want to take the first step to change & that is motivating. Prevention is always better than cure, and cost effective too. That brings us to the first step of your journey. To take the step into the future, you will need a purpose, a why.
One method we learned and practiced with our clients at JG Fit is the 5 whys, to ask why until we get to the pain point.
Here’s a case study: Amy
JG Fit: Amy, what is your goal?
Amy: My goal is to lose weight.
JG Fit: Why do you want to lose weight?
Amy: I want to look and feel better.
JG Fit: Why do you want to look and feel better?
Amy: Recently I have been feeling lousy.
JG Fit: Why have you been feeling lousy recently?
Amy: My shirt size has gone up; I feel fat all day and night and I’m frustrated.
JG Fit: Why do you feel frustrated?
Amy: My weight gain has affected my confidence; I think that people are judging me base on my looks and I hate it.
JG Fit: Okay, now we know what you mean.
As shown above, usually a goal as simple as looking and feeling great, is accompanied by a deep-rooted reason such as lack of confidence. There is a reason why we do what we do, we firmly believe that a goal is usually attached to a purpose, mission or vision. If not, why do we even do what we do?
Now take a pen and a paper, write down what your goal is and use each answer to build upon your “why”. Rest assured that doing this activity will help you become more established with your goals, values and priorities.
Author:
Tay Jiewen
Co Founder of JG Fit