We all have our own, unique reasons for wanting to change, and sometimes we haven’t given these much thought. The key to making consistent, progressive change is really understanding our motivation, our ‘’why’. What’s your ‘why’? 

What is your WHY? 

You’ve worked out that you want to change, to be slimmer, fitter, healthier. Great goals. To give them power, let’s identify WHY you want to do this? Who, or what, motivates you to live your best life? This can help us put our goals in perspective and keep us on track. 

‘I want to get fitter so I’m not a sweaty mess when I exercise’ or ‘I want to lose weight so my cholesterol goes down’ are both great reasons to make lifestyle changes. Yet, there’s likely a lot more going on under the surface. To find out more, we can use the 5 whys discovery method. 

The 5 whys technique 

Developed by the founder of Toyota industries in the 1930’s as a problem solving tool, the 5 whys technique is now used across the globe in many industries. Let’s take a look at how someone could put it into action to help find their WHY when it comes to weight loss and prediabetes. 

After asking WHY 5 times, we’ve got to the crux of why this person truly wants to lose weight, and it’s not just to feel fitter. It’s to enjoy the demands of everyday life. A great motivation to stick to an eating and exercise plan when willpower wains. 

This technique can feel exposing as it delves into the root causes of our desire to change. But doing so can help us understand our true values and underlying wants and needs. We’re much more likely to make long term change if we truly understand WHY it is we’re doing it and can remind ourselves of this when things are tough.