When it comes time to choose the stories you’ll tell your partner, choose the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. These are the stories that carry the most emotion and therefore the ones that will most clearly lead to your WHY.

The “TO SO THAT ” format works for everyone. It’s the simplest way to codify our calling. Whether our WHY is individual or tribal, when we work with a clear WHY in mind, we show up every single day with the feeling that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. *

end up with at least five stories that you consider the most impactful of your life. The more stories you have, the easier it will be for your partner to detect the patterns and themes that will lead to your WHY. Remember that each story must be about a specific time, place or moment.

While these details are important to set context to what will be shared next, they won’t help you get to the WHY, because the WHY is connected to feelings.

It is everlasting and must be relevant in both your personal and professional life. It is a statement of your value at work as much as it is the reason your friends love you. We don’t have a professional WHY and personal WHY. We are who we are wherever we are. Your contribution is not a product or a service. It’s the thing around which everything y

It’s easier to hire someone based on their résumé. It’s harder to hire someone for their cultural fit.

The first blank represents the contribution you make to the lives of others. The second blank represents the impact of your contribution.

In addition to the recurring themes that you’ll listen for in each story, there are two other main components to look for: contribution and impact.

there are three steps to discovering your WHY (tell stories, identify themes, draft the Why Statement). It works best when you complete all three steps in one sitting.