Artificial Intelligence, or Natural and Human? Challenge post one.
A few weeks ago I posted on my socials about a challenge that my business coach, Pippa, had set for me. Pippa suggested that I post two articles on a subject I’m passionate about: one written by me, and one written by Chat GPT.
Since I am dedicated to living a values driven life, and to setting up a business that feels regenerative rather than depleting, both articles are titled Not the What, but the Why and the How. If you are here from my Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn pages, thank you for taking the time. And if you have come here looking for a blog that showcases local creative- and community-minded entrepreneurs and community organisations, and landed on this seemingly random post, please rest assured that you are supporting one: me! So why not stay and play a while?
Curious to dive in and try to spot the difference? Without further ado, here is post 1.
Not the What, but the Why and the How
Something that has been on my mind lately, gently filtering into all areas of my life, is letting go of so much focus on what I’m doing and placing more focus on my reasons for why, as well as how, I’m approaching things.
When your to-do list is never-ending and you are achievement orientated, like me — and like many of us brought up in a school system where we are taught that passing the test and gaining the grade is the most important thing of all, though ‘enjoy the process’ and ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination’ are two phrases also given out as “sage” advice…confusing, huh? — it’s so easy to get caught up in the end result.
In my very early twenties, I experienced a sudden breakdown, followed by almost debilitating depression and anxiety that seemed to wipe my sense of self, even affecting my memory and my vision. Through a combination of psychotherapy and sheer, brutal will, I climbed out of that deep, dark well of despair. And one of the touchpoints that got me through, like the rungs of a ladder up the side of that well, was writing out, and ticking off, my to-do list. It feels great, right? I wasn’t at a space where I had the resources to focus on the how, beyond the sheer survival of getting there any way I could, and the why, again, was about survival.
This isn’t everybody’s experience — thankfully. But the elements that I think might resonate are that, with the ingrained predisposition to hustle, it’s pretty bloody hard to slow down enough to be intentional with our why for what we are doing, and even harder to address healing our own inner shit, at times, to change the how to be more aligned with how we want to show up in the world.
If you are in a season where you just can’t do this: I see you, I validate your experience. It’s OK, honey, and you are going to be OK.
If you do have a moment today, though, even if it’s before you do just one thing, even if it’s a mundane thing, why not ask yourself:
Why am I doing this? Which passion or intention is driving my actions here?
And how would the best version of me approach this thing I’m about to do? How are my values showing up in this moment? How am I relating to myself and others as I do this thing?
If you’d like a super simple map to write copy that aligns with your why, who, and how, email me for copy of The Succinct List. Then pin it to your task bar for easy access anytime you need it. You don’t need to add remembering these questions to your mental load: I’ve got you.
