The Power of Why
Why?
Should I take a chance? Should I change jobs? Should I say yes?
I was recently working with a client who was wrestling with a familiar question: should she stay in education — continue doing work she loves and is good at – or follow a passion and try something new?
It's a question I hear often. And what I notice, almost every time, is that the energy is entirely focused on the what. What should I do next? What are my options? What makes the most sense?
The what is important. But it isn't where I start.
I start with why.
There is a deceptively simple technique I use in coaching — rooted in the "5 Whys" framework originally developed by Sakichi Toyoda and later adopted in facilitation practice — where you ask one question, and one question only:
Why?
No preamble. No reframing. No coaching language layered on top. Just: why?
The discipline is in the restraint. One word. And then you listen.
Here is a version of how it unfolded with my client:
"I'm thinking I should just stay in education. I mean, I love it and I am good at it. But I am wondering if I should follow a passion and try something different."
Why?
"Well, because I probably won't be a teacher forever — so maybe it's better to try something new now."
Why?
"I don't want to wonder what I could have done if I tried something else. I do love teaching though."
Why?
"I love the rituals and routines, but also the innovative parts. I love making a difference. I don't think I could do that outside of teaching."
Why?
"Teaching has purpose built in. But maybe I could find another purpose. I would like to."
Why?
"What matters most to me in my career is that I am purpose-driven. I need my work — or the organization I work for — to have a clear mission or vision."
And there it was.
She didn't arrive at an answer about teaching versus following a passion. She arrived at something far more useful: a value. A compass. Something portable that she could carry into any decision, any role, any organization.
That's what the why excavates. Not the answer — but what lies beneath the question.
From here, the next step in our coaching work is to explore whether she has a personal vision statement. Our organizations have them. Our schools have them. We spend considerable time and energy crafting mission statements and strategic plans.
And yet most of us have never done this for ourselves.
A personal vision statement — grounded in your values, your strengths, and what you want your life and work to stand for — becomes the lens through which decisions become clearer. Does this opportunity align with who I am and what I want? Does this organization's mission resonate with mine?
Of course, a vision statement is only one piece. The full picture also includes practical realities — financial viability, your appetite for ambiguity, the logistics of a transition. Each of those matter enormously and deserve our time and attention – eventually.
But none of that work is possible until you know your why.
So, if you are facing a decision — a career crossroads, an opportunity, a nagging sense that something needs to change — try this. Find someone you trust, or simply sit with a journal, and ask yourself:
Why?
Then answer. Then ask again. Keep going until you arrive somewhere that surprises you. That's usually where the real work begins.
What's your why? I'd love to hear it.