Why do you need it?
The most important question if you want a human to do hard things.
I came across this in an Instagram post by Daniel Pink today.
It shared results from a 2-year intervention with 2,900 employees.
The company wanted higher performance.
They tested everything.
Perks. Benefits. Incentives. Different levers with different groups.
Randomized controlled trials - aka trying and measuring different things with different groups of people.
What worked best?
Not money.
Not perks.
Not shiny extras.
Reflection on personal purpose.
Why do you do what you do?
Why do you need it?
What’s in it for you?
What do you stand for?
What are you trying to become?
Low performance dropped by 50%.
Your brain is always running a cost–benefit analysis.
Every task. Every decision. Every moment of effort or avoidance.
And one of the biggest benefits your brain prioritizes that we almost never talk about:
staying aligned with who you believe you are at your core.
When your actions match your values, things feel lighter, easier, like less effort - you flow, even through the hardest "lift".
When they don’t, everything feels heavy, even simple tasks.
What I found to be a challenge is the notion that your values compete with each other often - you want the abs, but the cake now is very appealing too.
Rest vs growth.
Comfort vs getting better.
Short-term relief vs long-term identity.
What you do in any given moment depends on which value shows up in your brain first, what you are reminded of in the moment.
When people are prompted to think about their deeper values, about purpose rather than immediate discomfort or payoff, they think longer term.
And paradoxically, that helps them do more now.
Enough effort today to build a version of themselves they respect tomorrow.
Something I noticed years ago, working with leaders, entrepreneurs, and high performers:
There isn’t a single one who doesn’t have reminders of what truly matters to them.
Reflection rituals.
Questions they return to again and again.
Whether they’re leveling up their leadership, building a business, or finally taking care of their body after a decade of neglect - the starting point is always the same.
Not tactics.
Not plans.
Not discipline.
Why do you need it? - I would ask.
And not the surface-level answer.
I keep asking why.
Again and again.
Until we hit identity.
Until we hit values.
Because that’s what gives a self-growth journey roots deep enough to withstand the winds of life.
So, over to you dear reader,
Do you routinely reflect on your values to inspire yourself to do the hard work for growth?
And do you ask this question of the people you’re trying to grow?
PS I ran a 24-hour race this weekend. Do you know why I quit early? I didn't have a big enough why to push aka I didn't care.
