The Big Four: Who? Why? What? When?

Before you take the first step, you need to know the big four: 

Who?

This question is most important because life is all about others. People will always be the most important point of impact with your life, so this question is more about clarity for who your best chances of impact actually are. Everyone needs you, but who is it that you come in contact with on a daily basis that you can begin to pour your life into? Family? Coworkers? Friends?

It’s the who that will show you just how influential your dreams really are. Are you impacting lives by chasing your dreams? When your dreams are so big that they reach out and touch the lives of others, people will want to follow. These same people may even want to help you carry your dreams out and help you see them achieved in any way they can. Your dreams really can be that contagious!

I should mention here that when people join you in seeing your dreams come to pass, it is a measure of influence, not necessarily an indication that you should or shouldn’t go after your dreams. Sometimes the best dreams are gone after alone at first, to allow other ambassadors to come alongside later on.

Why?

If you are doing what you do for recognition from others rather than for the betterment of others, then your heart is probably in the wrong place. When you ask “Why?”, it helps you know if there are selfish tendencies behind your motives and it motivates you to see the true importance of what you are trying to accomplish with your life. This question also lets you see the why behind why people need your dream to come into reality. When a dream is so big that it can make a remarkable difference in the lives of others, it is obvious why you need to achieve your dreams.

When you realize how important your why is, it will motivate you even more to see your huge dreams come to pass. Furthermore, the rest of us will benefit greatly from helping you reach your definition of success. And if you aren’t encouraging ohers along their way to finding success, then it is time for you to reach out and show other people just how much you believe in them. Believe in your own why and believe in others to help them see their why.

What?

This question defines what you are doing, not only with your dreams, but with your life as a whole. What are you wanting to accomplish and what will help get you there? What will you actually do to impact the lives of others? Find your what and find what it is that people need from you.

When?

After you know the “Who?”, “Why?” and “What?”, then you can know what you need to do to answer the “When?” to your goals. Doing this is what will help you get to where you want to be faster, and it will also help to keep you accountable. Everyone needs some guidance on the way to completing their dreams and your when is just the way to implement it. You need this question in your life because you need to put a realistic timeline to see your dreams become successes. Goals without timelines are just thoughts. You need to know every single day when you are going to devote time to your dreams, but you also need to know when you want to complete them by.

Goals without timelines are just thoughts. Click To Tweet

Do you know the answers to these core questions about what you are doing? When these questions aren’t asked, purpose is squandered, focus is lost, and dreams aren’t fulfilled. Ask these questions, find your answers, and live a more impactful life.