Why Do You Work?

Have you ever thought about WHY YOU WORK?

Seriously. Have you thought about that question and answered why you grind tirelessly day-after-day to do what you do?

Let me explain.

Last week, I asked every attendee in my “TD Fitness Classes” to write down a question that they would like me to address in a blog post. I told them I would pick one of the questions that most resonated with me and write about it.

While I thought those questions would revolve around fitness, or nutrition, or fat-loss, or stress-reduction, one of the questions that caught my eye didn’t directly relate to these topics.

It came from a long-time Fitness Quest 10 client whose name is Steve Henry. Steve is a local orthodontist who participates in many of our different classes and programs and attends my boot camps regularly. He also hosts parties for our interns (upon starting and completion), parties for staff, and he even hosts an awesome Oktoberfest for all clients and staff every Fall. Great all-around guy with a good sense of humor.

Steve wrote down and asked me, “WHY DO YOU WORK?”

I said, “Seriously? Is that a serious question?” (Again, you never know if Steve is joking around or not.)

And Steve said, “Absolutely. People work for different reasons.
Some work for money.
Some work because they can solve problems or be a difference maker.
Some work because they get to lead people and make them better.
Some work because they love the culture of a business and the people in a business.
Some work because it makes them happy.”

So here is my answer.

For me, I work to live out God’s purpose. My purpose in life is to empower people. Inspire people. Transform people. And make a difference in the world. I love to make people better—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. To create IMPACT!

And then I turned to my Fitness Quest 10 teammates and asked them the same question: WHY DO YOU WORK?

Here are a few of the answers they shared:

“I work because…It fuels my mind and soul. Helping people smile and feel good makes me happy!”—Julie Wilcox, GM

“I work to contribute to the financial stability of my family so that we may have the ability to enjoy life’s offering. And I work because I gain positive energy by being around other people. I love to interact, learn from, help, mutually motivate, inspire and be inspired by other amazing human beings. I work because my work has always involved being around friends.”—Melanie Rogers, Pilates

“I do what I do because I believe that everyone has greatness in them and nothing fires me up more than helping someone realize that. It’s about more than reps and sets to me, it’s about pushing them mentally and physically so that they can live their best life.” –Jesse Dietrick, Trainer

“I work to pay respect to my mom and dad who worked so hard to bless me with the life I had growing up. They don’t ever want me to pay them back with money so I pay them back by paying it forward and showing my daughter the value of hard work.” –Jeff King, Trainer

“I work because I am able (at this juncture of my journey at age 58+) to use my God-given talent and be HAPPY through the rewards of AFFILIATION (with the Fitness Quest 10 and TDE BRAND) and the WORK CONTENT I am honored and blessed to be able to experience.” –Larry Indiviglia, Trainer & Director of Todd Durkin Mastermind

“After raising two boys and not working for 20 years, I work because it gives me purpose and challenges me.” –Lisa Evanovich, Director of First Impressions

“I think the purest reason I do what I do is because I feel that God has given me a passion in this field.  I remember in college when I found out I could major in exercise science and I took the first class, I knew this is what I was created for. It is a joy and pleasure to be able to make a living doing what I love.”—Ryan Rogers

“I felt inspired and called to be a Holistic Health Practitioner to help others with a natural, authentic and more well-rounded approach to health and fitness. I found that Yoga was a complete component as a means to that purpose so became trained as a 500+ hour teacher in a variety of methods because no two people are alike and I want to empower others to understand their bodies through breath and movement. I’ve often mentioned to others that our lives are the fullest and happiest when we love what we do and do what we love…” Marilou Israel, Massage Therapist, Yoga Instructor, HHP

“There are many reasons why I work, and I believe this life is an everlasting adventure…but few ever dare to truly go on this adventure to find out truly why they work. Success for me is to wake up every day and do what I love to do. We all have been given dreams and desires, and what we do with them is up to us. Just like Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire said, “WHEN I RUN, I FEEL GOD’S PLEASURE,” and when I come into FQ10 everyday, I feel GOD’s pleasure. The Greek word for “Passion” is paseo, which means to suffer. Now most people would not put the two together, but are we willing to suffer for work to find the thing we really love to do? I also work because I love people and want to make a difference and impact and improve the lives of people.” –Jeff Guenzburger, Director of Business Development

How about you? WHY DO YOU WORK?

(We would love to hear from you, post your answers below).

I close with this. Ray Hrenko, another long-time Fitness Quest 10 client, recently shared a TED-video with me called the “Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Anchor.

Shawn asks this very deep question, “Do you need to be successful to be happy?” or “Do you need to be happy to be successful?”

Watch this incredible 12-minute video and I promise you it will help make you “happier” and more “successful” at work, at home, and life, regardless of what your “job” is.

In the video, Shawn shares that you can train your brain to be more positive and more happy. He encourages one to do the following for 21-straight days to train the brain to be positive:

•    Write down 3 Gratitudes every night.
•    Journal about one of those gratitudes.
•    Exercise
•    Meditate
•    Perform random or conscious acts of kindness

Thanks for what you do and WHY you do it. And for whatever the reason WHY you work, I hope you choose happiness BEFORE success.

Stay positive…and BE HAPPY!

Todd

P.S. I would love to know WHY you work & what makes you happiest? Post your answers below. Much gratitude!!!