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After a WHY session, you will hopefully have discovered your WHY statement. But what happens afterward? The purpose of a WHY session is to create a positive, action-oriented, and infinite Why statement that has a contribution and effect on the world. During the session, participants tell stories from their lives, both positive and negative, to discover themes to be included in the statement.
It is an honor to be part of someone’s journey of discovery into the WHY of someone.
-> Reading tip: What does a WHY session look like?
“I know the way, but I don’t know where we’ll end up.” I often say that to people who want to discover their Why.
During the WHY session, it is my job to discover (recurring) themes that can contribute or have an effect on the world. A draft WHY statement is then drawn up from all these themes. It is a statement that immediately brings out the feelings when someone is at their best.
-> Reading tip: Examples of WHY Statements
After the WHY session
A few days after the WHY session, I email all the themes we identified. Examples are:
I connect hearts
I facilitate security
I make the complex simple
I create opportunities to connect
I realize structure
I make sure people are seen
I do things that matter
I contribute to progress
I help get people in a state to do the things they want to do
Visceral verbs
I use visceral verbs to make the themes actionable. Examples are: I realize, I design, I dream, I love, or I illustrate.
Although not all themes appear in the draft WHY statement, they are very important. They show someone’s unique way of working. Those are the talents, character strengths, values, and norms. They are someone’s HOWs. You can read more about this in the article Now WhAT?
Reinforce your WHY statement
A draft WHY statement is not set in stone. You can leave your draft WHY statement for a while. Maybe someone wants to change some words, and yes, that’s fine.
The point is that someone immediately connects to the feelings when they say their WHY statement to themselves or others. I encourage people to test their WHY statements with others.
You can return to the stories and the themes if you want to sharpen your concept statement. Your WHY should reflect the stories and doesn’t have to sound better; it has to feel better!
-> Reading tip: Key ingredients of an inspiring WHY statement
It may take several weeks to sharpen your draft WHY statement. But don’t let it take too long! The reason for finding your WHY is so you can take action!
The friends exercise
In the email, I also add the friends exercise. This comes down to the following:
Ask a close friend why you are good friends. Try to probe deeper. If all goes well, the above themes will return. If other themes come up, they also apply to you.
Follow-up appointment
I always make a follow-up appointment to avoid people putting their WHY in a drawer and going on with their life. The follow-up appointment usually lasts 90 minutes and is often online. We discuss the experiences with the draft WHY statement and whether it should be further reinforced.
During the follow-up appointment, we choose the five most important HOWs. Furthermore, we set goals to keep the WHY alive. That ensures that it is a sustainable force so that you keep doing those things that align with your WHY.
Do you also want to discover your WHY? I can help you as a partner! Contact me today for a free introduction session!
What is your WHY? How did you discover it, and how do you keep it alive? Let me know in the comment field below. The other readers of this article and I are looking forward to reading from you!
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