What For? – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

One of the most powerful questions we can ask ourselves

Photo by Ana Municio on Unsplash

How often do we start something without knowing why? When my son Juan Diego passed away, I discovered the power of that answer. A month later my coach, Diego Olivieri, told me, "Let’s do the Ironman, and if you agree, let’s do it to honor the memory of your son Juan Diego." That conversation marked me to the core. It swept away every barrier and feeling I was carrying at the time. I found a reason to do that race, and against all odds I reached the goal. How? By answering that question. How often do we skip it?

I’ve always believed the brain is a natural energy saver. It loves the easiest path, the one that spares it the most work. In other words, it doesn’t like to think more than it must. Imagining, thinking and going beyond the familiar takes energy, and that step may be one of the most fundamental we take each day. It leads to the next question we usually ask: how? How do I do it? When you know what needs doing and it lines up with what it’s for, the how tends to come much more easily.

What role does knowing our purpose in life play in answering "what for"? We often set goals with no real foundation. A concrete example is organizations that have a mission and a vision while their operations are full of activities aligned with nothing at all. That lack of alignment comes from not knowing the organization’s overall direction, its purpose, which should also be in tune with the company’s vision, mission and values. Purpose turns out to be the conductor of the orchestra, the compass, the lighthouse, the main lever that gives us answers every time we pull it. The other levers matter and play a fundamental role, but the answer to "what for" usually lives in our purpose.

Life is full of questions, the ones we ask others and ourselves every day. Every day we set out to do something, and every day we hand something to someone else (by delegating) so we’re free to do more. What would happen if, before acting, you could answer this question: what do I want this for?

Warm regards,

Rodrigo Baccaro

P.S. This week’s VELA (what I was Watching, Listening to, Reading and Learning):

• Watching: Vía Crucis. 10 minutos con Jesús. On this Palm Sunday, a very special series of videos.
• Listening to: Classificação dos fonemas. I’m picking up my Portuguese lessons again, and this Spotify channel is a huge help.
• Reading: The Narrow Corridor. A gift from my friend Dubraska Urbina. It cleared up a lot for me, especially about freedom. Thank you, Dubraska, what a great gift.
• Learning: 11 Stoic Secrets to Better Habits. One of the good finds of my life, and a great resource.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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