The Value of Thinking About Why

Ethan Crowell
Nov 5 · 1 min read

There are very few original ideas in the world. Most things are ideas that are reconfigured and reused in some new way. That being said there are also some classic ideas. David Allen’s list on the value of thinking why you should do something is one of those list. Here it is:

The Value of thinking about why:

  • It defines success: If we know why we are doing something we will know what success looks like.
  • It creates decision making criteria: It make decisions by default. It reduces the energy put into decisions in the organization or on the project.
  • It aligns resources: You know where to invest your time and treasure.
  • It motivates: It gets everyone on the same page, even if it’s just you.
  • It clarifies focus: It eliminates what things are not options.
  • It expands options: Once you are clear on your why you know what else will be an option to advance your why.

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