How often do we go through life doing various activities and making choices without stopping to consider the deeper reasons or motivations behind them?
Things like going to school, having a job, living in a particular area, traveling, exercising, driving a certain car, following a religion or believing in God, keeping an orderly home, budgeting money, dressing a certain way, getting tattoos, putting in your best effort, maintaining family/friend relationships, using drugs, pursuing science, celebrating birthdays, appreciating nature like flowers, birds, bees and animals, or allowing yourself to experience emotions.
“What’s the point?” challenges us to reflect on the “why” behind all these things we do. Everything has some motivation or purpose driving it, even if we don’t actively think about it.
Getting to the root of “why” is half the battle in making sense of our actions.
We do things because on some level we want to do them, there is an underlying reason driving the behavior, even if the motivations don’t make sense to other people.
Someone working incredibly hard to get a degree could want to improve their family’s financial situation. While another person who wants to improve their family’s situation will go out and steal things.
The point is that our individual motivations and the “whys” that drive us play a powerful role in determining the paths our lives take and stopping to consider the deep reasons behind our behaviors can provide important insights into where we are going with our life.
Some good ol’ self reflection
At the end of the day, the deepest “whys” that drive our behaviors are uniquely personal. The reasons that motivate one person may make no sense to someone else. That’s okay.
By pausing to truly examine our own motivations and the deeper purposes behind the paths we choose, we open ourselves up to greater self-awareness and intentionality in how we choose to live.
Take some time for self-reflection. Ask yourself “What’s the point?” behind different aspects of your life and the choices you currently engage in. Why did you choose your job or living situation? What motivates your relationships, hobbies, or daily routines?
Do your answers line up with your deeper values and motivations?
Double down on motivations that are meaningful and reevaluate the ones that don’t serve you well. Don’t just mindlessly go through the motions of life. Self-reflecting helps develop the self-awareness to ensure your actions are aligned with your needs, values, and purposes.
Why do you do what you do?
Joe DiAndrea 