Knowing your “Why” means understanding why you do the things you do. It’s the reason you do the things you do. The reason why you MUST. The drive that motivates you to get to work each morning and take care of business. Or to get to the gym each and every week and do what needs to be done.

So, what is your WHY in life? Do you even have a WHY? How do you get a WHY?

These questions are very common and makes you think about what you truly want out of life. How do you find out what your “Why” in life is? By asking as many questions as possible:

• Why do I do this?
• Why do I value this over that?
• Why am I not happy when X happens?
• Why am I stressed now?
• Why?

If you keep asking these questions, it’s likely that you’ll eventually end up at the same answer. That answer is almost always your “Why” in life. That’s the reason that makes you go forward in life. That’s what makes you unhappy if your current situation doesn’t align with your “Why”.

Common answers to these “Why” questions are usually a variation or combination of the following:

• Providing for my family
• Success
• To leave a legacy
• Feeling loved
• Having a positive impact on the lives of others
• Fortune

How you don’t find your WHY is:

• By sitting in a chair by the window, waiting for someone to tell you what your “Why” should be.
• By having a “eureka!” moment.
• By blatantly copying someone else’s “Why” in life.

No. In order to find your personal “Why” in life, you really have to take a shovel and dig deep down in your conscious mind. How do you start digging? By asking yourself the questions that I’ve listed above.

So you’ve done that and you now have your “Why.” How do we stay focused on it during times like this?

ROUTINE

Getting yourself into a routine is one of the best ways to stay motivated and to keep on top of your “Why”. If you get into the habit of doing the same things every day, whether this is simply just waking up at around the same time in the morning, or whether you stick to a study schedule, this can help add some structure to your day. Sticking to a routine can help you to map out time to do the things you need to do; getting into a good routine can help give you the structure you need to stay motivated.

EXERCISE

If you’re feeling lethargic and unmotivated, doing some exercise can often help you find the energy that you need. Exercise also releases endorphins (the happy hormone) which can help to boost your mood. Whether you fancy going for a run, or whether you are doing online PT from the comfort of your home, there’s many different ways that you can get some exercise in. If you don’t feel up to strenuous exercise, then perhaps try doing something like yoga.

STAY CONNECTED

One of the reasons people can often feel demotivated is because they’re disconnected from their friends and peers. Stay connected with like-minded people. Maybe take some time to do a group zoom call with your course friends and to regularly call your friends or family.

PLAN

A great way to stay motivated is to plan what you’re going to do each day. Make a list of things that you need to complete in a day. Perhaps write down your tasks and tick them off as you go. This will not only create small goals but will help to give you a feeling of satisfaction once you complete them. This will also stop you from floating through the day and feeling like you’ve achieved nothing. At the end of each day, you’ll have a list of all you’ve done.

There’s no formula for staying motivated during this difficult time. Try your best with your health and fitness habits and allow your best to be enough. Even doing a small amount of work can often go a long way.

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