Recently, I learned about a technique called ‘The Five Whys.’
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota and father of the Japanese industrial revolution, invented this technique to uncover the causes of technical problems in his company’s manufacturing process. It’s a deceptively simple method to unearth root issues and expose unexpected opportunities. It breaks down a seemingly large problem into its components. I have been using it to get to the bottom of things that have been bothering me.
It works by stating the problem and then asking yourself why. Write down the answer. Now, challenge your answer by asking why again. Do the same for the next answer, and so on, up to five times.
For example:
“Why I am driving myself too hard.”
Because I want to achieve all that I have set myself up for.
Why?
Because it makes me feel fulfilled.
Why?
Because I am creating something that didn’t exist before.
Why?
Because it is like giving something back to the universe.
Why?
Because this is how the universe works, in an endless circle of give-and-take.
Oliver Burkeman writes in Four Thousand Weeks, the modern feeling of busyness, by which we really mean overwhelm, consists of that you must do more than you can do. That you must, for example, get through your to-do list by Friday afternoon if a disaster is to be averted – but also that there’s a very real chance you won’t.
These two opposing expectations can’t coexist.
You don’t have to do more than you can. But, of course, your obnoxious boss (or obnoxious inner critic) may still carry on making impossible demands of you, and you’ll still have to figure out how to deal with those.
But at least you get to stop berating yourself for not managing to do something that no one ever could. You get to exhale, let your shoulders drop, and get on with whatever counts the most, letting the other chips fall wherever they will.
This resignation could be incredibly motivating. It’s because you have given up the struggle and got on with whatever was at hand with all your energy and attention.
To be more specific:
It’s because creative projects don’t come perfectly formed so that you can start working on them straightaway.
It’s because no relationship partner will have all those qualities you sought, so you might as well get along.
It’s because you’ll miss out on many opportunities in life, so you might as well plunge into a few of them.
It’s because nobody really knows what they’re doing that you might as well do what you feel is right.
Suddenly, the stakes are much lower. And you no longer have to “motivate yourself” and feel flat as soon as whatever mechanism you used to “carry on” ran out.
Instead, you just start spending more of your time on what matters because, I mean, why not? You might as well.
Or you can do assign a higher purpose to whatever you are doing and watch the surge of energy come out of nowhere.
“Write Your Book Sprint” is almost full. I have three spots left. First in, best dressed!
Click below to get the details and register. It is FREE this time. It won’t be next time.
Good piece, and I think you're a wonderful illustrator! Janelle Meraz Hooper