The Power Behind Your Why

The Power Behind Your Why

Every person has a why. It’s the reason we wake up early, push through obstacles, and stay committed when life gets tough. For years I thought success was 90 percent physical and only 10 percent mental, but I learned it’s the other way around. The mind is the driver. The mental game determines how far you’ll go and how well you’ll handle what comes your way.

So today I reflect on the question: What is your why?

Bella has her own why when she steps onto the bowling lanes. Barbi has hers as a loving wife, mother, and daughter. And I have mine — a reason that pulls me forward when things get difficult. Because life is challenging. Family, work, health, and relationships all come with struggles. When the pressure builds, when setbacks come, you’ll need a deep why to keep you moving.

A surface-level why won’t carry you very far. When you drift, lose focus, or get distracted by comfort or convenience, your why brings you back. It realigns you with your purpose. Every day there are distractions — scrolling, food, entertainment, or comparison. But if it doesn’t line up with your why, it’s a drift away from your purpose.

When you fall, the question isn’t how many times you’ve been knocked down but how many times you’ll rise. The strength to rise again comes from your why. It gives meaning to the grind, purpose to the pain, and hope through hardship. It’s what fuels the comeback after the setback. The more depth your why has, the more powerful it becomes. A shallow why will break easily. A deep why endures through storms.

So take the time to define your why. Make it powerful. Let it be your anchor when life hits hard and your compass when you start to drift. Whether it’s family, faith, or your personal mission, let your why remind you why you get back up and why you keep going. That’s where growth lives. That’s where the joy returns. That’s where you find the best version of yourself.

For me, Barbi, and Bella, we’re still learning. We’re learning how to rise each day and realign our hearts with our purpose. And every time life knocks us down, we get back up — because our why gives us the strength to keep becoming who we’re meant to be.