Forging the Way to Your “Why”

By Jenna Matzer

I was recently involved in a conversation around burnout — what it looks like and ways to “deal” with it. On reflection, I noticed that one thing that never came up in the conversation is why burnout exists in the first place. As I thought more and more about this, I found myself wondering, could it be that those experiencing burnout aren’t leveraging their “why?” Alternatively, could burnout be prevented, or at least minimized, by finding a meaningful purpose?

Before we move on, it’s import to understand your “why” (AKA the reasoning behind your actions). It is a necessary step in achieving fulfillment in all areas of life — career, extracurricular activities, philanthropy and even social associations. Having a defined sense of purpose encourages us to refocus our energy on what is important, which can, at the same time, motivate us to push through the tough obstacles that may have otherwise led to burnout.

Burnout can be brought on by a variety of things: fear of complacency, intense workload or external distractions that interfere with work/life balance. Most worryingly for employers, burnout can lead to high turnover in the workplace, depersonalization and emotional exhaustion — all things that are detrimental for employees and for business. For instance, in the healthcare field, turnover as a result of burnout is directly correlated to quality patient care and efficacy.

Unlike other species, humans naturally crave something much larger than survival. We don’t want to be content, we want to be proud of doing “good.” Contrary to popular belief, this longing to make a positive difference in the world spans far beyond the millennial cohort. 65% of employees, spanning all age groups, said one of their top goals in selecting a job is to make a difference in society. For generations, we’ve been acting on purpose; we just didn’t realize it. According to Simon Sinek’s popular TedTalk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” some of the world’s greatest leaders throughout history inspired themselves and others by starting with their “why.”

So, before you allow burnout to manifest in your life, here are some questions to help you define your “why.”

What are you known for?
Reflect on your past personal and professional interactions with peers. What is the consistent feedback around strengths and weaknesses? If you can’t put your finger on it, you may want to consider having a candid, transparent conversation with those closest to you — a mentor, a colleague, a family member or a good friend. Don’t shy away from asking your peers what they think you’re known for. If you don’t already have one, consider implementing a senior leadership assessment and/or mentor program at your workplace to invite feedback from all levels. Here at Weber Shandwick St. Louis, our team members have greatly benefited from these programs, as they provide structured feedback in real time, outside of the performance review process. Our leadership team recently surveyed junior staff members who provided candid feedback on the team’s strengths and possible areas for growth.

As you compile the feedback, consider how you can hone your strengths and find ways to apply them to your work and to understanding if they support your “why.”

What makes you proud?
As I mentioned earlier, as humans we want to be proud of what we do. Reflect on your proudest moments. What happened? How did it make you feel, and how did it make others feel? Professionally, what aspects of a project left you feeling the most satisfied? Write down your responses, and consider how you can tie these moments into your “why.”

Then, try to weave your story into a conversation with a peer. Positive self-talk is essential in defining your areas of pride. This same exercise can also apply to something that someone else did that inspired you.

Who do you look up to and why?
As humans, we all need someone to look up to, and we all have that one or two, perhaps three or four people we aspire to be. They can be personal or professional role models — it doesn’t matter. What matters is their influence on you.

Consider why you admire them, then think about how you can exhibit similar behaviors or learn from their example. Depending on who it is, you might ask for a mentorship or guidance. Studies show that mentoring is critical for personal and professional development, especially for career development and advancing leadership capabilities.

What are your personal values?
Your core values are the principles that guide how you live your life. Whether you realize it or not, we all act upon these self-imposed principles. If you’re having trouble articulating your values, take a step back and consider your thought process when making a big decision. What are your hesitations and why? What types of decisions come easily to you? Critiquing your thought process will help you determine the basis of your decision making. It’s important to consider how your values guide your decisions.

Now, it’s time to compile your findings and put them into action. Apply them to areas in your life you feel are lacking, and begin to champion your (new) cause. Begin living for your why.

Will you still feel exhausted and unmotivated from time to time? Possibly. But, so long as you’re thinking about the why, and are taking small steps to get there, you’re heading in the right direction.

After all, half of the excitement of discovering your “why” is the pursuit of finding it in the first place.