Why Are We Doing What We Do?

Sustainable Energy Comes From the Why Behind Our Actions

At a recent corporate retreat, I listened to a speaker share a trick for sounding more energetic on the phone: “Start your sentences at a lower pitch and end them higher.” What struck me wasn’t just the advice itself, it was also how it revealed that we’ve become so focused on appearing engaged that we’ve forgotten how to be genuinely engaged. Real sustainable energy doesn’t come from pretending to be enthusiastic, it comes from connecting to the reason behind our actions, the meaningful purpose that brings life to what we do.

Energy From Within

When people understand why their work matters, energy flows naturally. At Pixar, when Ed Catmull and John Lasseter took over Disney’s struggling animation division, they didn’t start by demanding new films or tighter deadlines. They began by reconnecting everyone with why they tell stories—to inspire, to imagine, and to make people feel. That sense of purpose unlocked creativity, collaboration, and joy that no motivational program could achieve.

Leaders can’t directly grant enthusiasm; they are responsible for creating the environment where purpose naturally ignites enthusiasm from within.

Our Nature as Doers

We humans are wired to do. That instinct helped our ancestors survive; they built, hunted, and protected to meet immediate needs. Today, that same drive remains, but without meaning, it often leaves us exhausted and empty.

In one of our recent FS/A blogs, How We Ignite Learning, we recounted seeing this in a youth coach who demanded his players do what he said instead of helping them understand why it mattered. The result was compliance, not growth.

When we act without reflection, we lose touch with the deeper reasons that give our doing purpose. It’s easy to become busy, but we must make sure the ladder we’re climbing is leaning against the right wall.

“Energy that is forced is fleeting; energy from purpose is self-sustaining.”

From Survival to Legacy

My mentor, University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler, lived for a profound purpose. His goal wasn’t just to win football games; it was to develop men of character who, through his teachings, would win football games. That’s why his legacy persists long after his teams stopped playing. His purpose gave his work life beyond his lifetime, a living example of energy fueled by meaning.

The Foundation of Greatness

Purpose is the foundation of greatness. The Foundation of Greatness framework we developed at FS/A teaches that real greatness happens when people align their talents, skills, and disciplined responsibility to serve their why.

Alan Mulally, who led Ford Motor Company from 2006 to 2014, understood this. He didn’t start his tenure at Ford by designing new cars or reorganizing departments, he began by reminding everyone why Ford existed: to serve people through mobility. That clarity of purpose transformed a company on the verge of bankruptcy into one of the greatest comeback stories in corporate history. Purpose not only inspires people but also aligns systems, decisions, and behavior toward sustainable greatness.

How We Have Failed to Understand the Why Behind Our Doing

History provides sobering reminders of what happens when organizations lose sight of their purpose. Swiss watchmakers invented the quartz crystal movement but sold the rights because it didn’t match their idea of what a real watch should be. They focused on how they made watches, not why people used them: to keep time accurately. Within a decade, they lost 80% of their global market share.

The newspaper industry faced a similar downfall. Their focus on printing papers blinded them to their true purpose: informing people. When the Internet appeared, readers moved to faster, more accessible platforms, and newspapers worldwide struggled to survive.

In contrast, Apple continually redefines how it fulfills its purpose, connecting people and enriching lives through technology. Their products change, but their goal, “to enrich people’s lives by making the best products in the world,” remains the same.

Leading With Why

Our role as leaders is not to teach people to act inspired, it’s to help them become inspired by understanding why their work matters. When we reconnect with our why, we shift from simply doing to finding meaning, from just performing to feeling passion. The energy that flows from within us then becomes self-sustaining, because it’s driven not by obligation but by intrinsic purpose.

“We must make sure the ladder we’re climbing is leaning against the right wall.”

Reflection

• Why do you do what you do?
• How might reconnecting with that deeper, more meaningful purpose change the energy you bring to your work today?
• Our doing becomes fulfilling when our why leads the way.