Like a lot of other people, I put on some pandemic pounds and just started a six-week fitness and nutrition challenge at the studio where I workout. One of the things my trainer wanted us to do was figure out our “Why.” He said to really dig into why were joining the challenge and to be specific. Wanting to just lose weight or be in better shape wasn’t going to be motivation enough to keep going.
And that made me think of this blog post I read a couple of weeks ago on Bloomerang by Madison Gonzalez.
She encourages you to also figure out your “Why” when it comes to working at a nonprofit. Why did you get into nonprofit work and why did you pick your organization?
Like my trainer wanted us to come up with a more motivating reason that just losing weight, Gonzalez says “earning a living” or “making money” won’t really get to the heart of what makes you keep going when the things get rough.
I know I have been big on written exercises lately, but you should write down your answers.
She says:
Uncovering or reminding yourself of your “why” is the first step toward reigniting that drive to get up every day and put in the hard work. Holding tight to your “why” will help you when someone challenges your views, beliefs, or story in general. Success has setbacks and knowing your “why” will help you push through those.
For more, read How to Instantly Boost Morale: An Unlikely Source of Inspiration When Facing Nonprofit Burnout
