Response to Michael Jr.'s Video: Knowing Your Why?

What does Michael Jr. mean?

Michael Jr. conveys the message that we need to identify our purpose (our "why") behind what we do. This approach helps us to live a meaningful life that is conducive to happiness. For example, Michael Jr. mentions that his underlying purpose (his "why") for performing stand-up or writing books (his "what") is to inspire people to live a meaningful life. Therefore, "knowing your why" entails identifying the motives that drive your actions.

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What does this mean to you?

To me, Michael Jr.'s message resonates with my experiences teaching sixth-grade students in an environment that was unconducive to learning and teaching. As the teacher, I knew my role was to help my students gain essential content-area skills. Hence, I knew what I was doing. Unfortunately, I often felt miserable while working there and almost considered leaving the teaching profession. However, what motivated me to continue working in a draining environment was my purpose of teaching (my "why): to ignite meaningful connections and successful learning experiences in my students. Driven by this sense of mission, I continued to teach, despite working in an unorganized, unprofessional environment.