Have You Answered the World’s Most Irritating Question?

My mother and I used to play a game when I was little. She’d say something and I’d ask “Why?” She’d then answer with, “Because.” To which I’d reply, “Because, why?” She’d come back with “Because, because.” I’d then ask, “Because, because, why?” and she’d answer with “Because, because, because.” On and on it would go until we’d both start giggling or drive my father nuts, whichever came first.

“Why?” can be the most irritating question in the world, because it requires us to stop and think. With the speed and demands of living in the modern world, it is far too easy to slip into operating on auto-pilot. The question “Why?” is disruptive and problematic. It forces us out of auto-pilot mode and makes us examine what we are doing.

Do you know exactly why you do what you do on a daily basis? Why do you work at what you do? Why do you live where you live? Why do you pursue the things you pursue? Why is it important to ask these questions?

1. Answering Why helps you make sure you’re getting what you really want in life.

Nothing sucks more in life than waking up one day and realizing you’ve spent most of your life in pursuit of things that don’t really matter to you. It’s way too easy to allow others’ opinions or judgments to influence your own life decisions. Asking why allows you to clarify your own thoughts and goals. It allows you to move in your own direction. Asking why helps you keep your independence and gain the treasures that are most important to you.

2. Answering Why helps us focus our energies on what is important.

Distractions come in so many varieties. It’s easy to move down paths that are irrelevant to what is most vital. Asking why causes you to stop and justify your current set of activities. It helps you become aware of the distractions and gives you cause to eliminate them. As a result, asking why brings with it the greatest gift of all — relevant productivity. You no longer are productive for productivity’s sake. You can now become productive in what is most significant in your life; creating and pursuing the goals that bring passion and joy into your daily living.

3. Answering Why helps us live on purpose and not by accident.

When you live by distraction, running through life on auto-pilot, you produce random results. Sometimes those results are positive, sometimes not. Most of the time the results are immaterial and leave you stuck in a life of colorless drudgery. It leads you to maintain existence rather than create a life of real and exuberant meaning. Asking why helps you realize that meaning and purpose are created not given. Asking why allows you to stop and choose your life’s goal and direction. It allows you to live on purpose and thus provides you with depth and adventure.

Why may be an irritating question, especially when asked persistently until you get an answer other than “Because.” It’s also the best question you can ask yourself. Have you answered the world’s most irritating question recently? How did you answer? Did you go beyond “Because.”? What did you come up with? Leave a comment and share. I’m interested in what’s important to you.

Photo by Flickr user tj scenes under Creative Commons License.

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