I've been wrong… ALL wrong!
I’ve been wrong about something …
I’ve always considered “The Big Why” to be really important.
The Big Why is basically your vision. What big goal or dream are you working toward that gets you pumped up and excited to start the day?
Proponents of The Big Why say that if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. In other words, if you don’t have a Big Why leading you, you’ll end up somewhere …
But you might not like where you end up.
The Big Why is supposed to dictate how you live your life so you don’t waste your time doing things that don’t move you closer to your Big Why.
In the past, I told people that they absolutely must have a Big Why, no ifs, ands, or buts.
But I was wrong, and I take it back …
I still think the Big Why is a great tool, but I no longer think it is appropriate for everyone at every part of his or her life.
You see, I have a lot of exciting professional opportunities on the horizon. Some of them weren’t things I’ve ever considered, but now that they have presented themselves, I’m excited about them.
But I’m not entirely sure where I’ll end up.
In his famous commencement address to Stanford, Steve Jobs said: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.”
And that’s where I’m at today. I can’t connect the dots regarding what will happen in the future. Instead, I make sure that each day feels purposeful, and that I’ve working with integrity and passion.
I’m trusting in God that someday, I’ll look back and connect the dots, happy with where I am and how I got there.
But today, I’m just thinking about what I’ll do today …
What do you think? Is it more inspiring to live day-to-day, or do you prefer to be led by The Big Why? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Like I said, I still think having a Big Why is a great tool for people who have a crystal-clear vision. If you have one, share it with my other readers so they can start thinking about their own Big Why.
Philip Tirone