Why Before How

One powerful motivator is purpose. A clear sense of why you are doing something can help you keep going through obstacles that rewards, fear, or habit alone may not sustain.

Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived Auschwitz, wrote that a sense of meaning helped some prisoners endure unimaginable conditions, such as the hope of seeing a loved one again.

Decades of research point in the same direction: people with a clear sense of purpose tend to show better wellbeing, sleep, resilience, and health outcomes, though purpose is one factor among many.