“Creating a Powerful Why” is an excerpt from my Online Course “Scholar Warrior Is the Way” which is a compilation of Thoughts, Techniques, Sources and More for Self-Improvement, Writing, Filmmaking and Creative Explorer Curiosity. FREE TRIAL!

"I have a dream..."

"Tear down this wall..."

"We shall fight on the beaches...we shall never surrender..."

"In the democracy which I have envisaged...there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master."

"I say again that daily to discourse about virtue...is the greatest good of man, and that the unexamined life is not worth living..."

"...from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

"Give me Liberty or Give me Death!"

THE POWERFUL 'WHY' OF LEADERS

In these great speeches, we are guided to a great sense of human emotion and a powerful "WHY" which these exalted leaders enthused their audiences, followers and future citizens with their words.   The words are usually readily recognized, particularly the first one - "I have a dream..." as the words of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.  Here they are identified:

"I have a dream..."

Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr - civil rights speech August 28, 1963, Washington D.C. 

"Tear down this wall..."  

President Ronald Reagan - at the Brandenburg Gate June 12, 1987, Berlin. 

"We shall fight on the beaches...we shall never surrender..." 

Winston Churchill - speaking to the House of Commons about Hitler's National Socialism war June 4, 1940 London, UK

"In the democracy which I have envisaged...there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master."  

Mahatma Gandhi on gaining India's Independence - August 8, 1942

"I say again that daily to discourse about virtue...is the greatest good of man, and that the unexamined life is not worth living..."  

Socrates speaking at trial in his own defense.  399 BC Athens

"...from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."   

Abraham Lincoln - Gettysburg Address - November 19, 1963, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

"Give me Liberty or Give me Death!"

Patrick Henry  - speaking in St. John's Church, Virginia March 23, 1775

These leaders create a powerful why for their mission:  To defeat racism. To bring down the totalitarian Berlin wall and stop authoritarian socialism and communism.  To defy Hitler's national socialist war. To stop the injustice of British colonial domination. To defend one's right for free speech.  To resolve to complete the mission against slavery.  To declare for Liberty and Freedom in the face of death. 

THINK OF YOUR WHY

Martin Luther King did not say ”I have a plan” or ”I have a method”.  That statement would trigger the logical and rational mind. 

No, he wanted to ’inspire’ (more on this later) millions of Americans with ”I have a dream.”  

An extremely strong, well-articulated Why.  We all dream at night, in our sleep, about a Better Life.  We all dream during the day about a Better Life.  So he tapped into our innately human avenue for an emotional cause, focusing on a powerful ”WHY”.  The realization of his ”Dream” was that ”one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”

You may not be a national or international leader for Freedom or Justice. And when you lead yourself, then you need a powerful ”Why”.  

YOU are a Leader of your own LIFE BY YOUR DESIGN.  

"WHY" TRIGGERS IMPORTANT BRAIN RESPONSES

With a powerful ”WHY”, you actually trigger powerful responses in the brain.  Music has a powerful effect on the brain because of its emotional content.  A powerful WHY triggers the limbic system.  The limbic system deals with numerous functions such as emotion, behavior and long-term memory.  Our emotional journey begins in the limbic system for form memories.  

Human beings are natural born salesman.  What child doesn’t try to ’sell’ his parent on a chocolate treat, a movie or a new toy?  What teenager doesn’t try to ’sell’ his parent on staying out later?  What parent doesn’t try to ’sell’ their children on going to college, saving money or a certain course of wise action? 

Sales start with emotion, as any good salesman will know.  Then closes with Logic.  By engaging your limbic system, you also engage:

• Enthusiasm

• Courage

• Competitive Spirit

• Focus

Later on, once you have your WHY, then you can look at the ”What” (Resource) and ”How” (Method) for attaining your WHY. 

Remember: You are the Architect of Your Destiny 

WATCH THE VIDEO!

THE most important question for you is "WHY?" 

In thinking about this question, you might need "Inspiration".

inspiration  noun   in·spi·ra·tion | \ ˌin(t)-spə-ˈrā-shən  

The word "inspiration" comes from the Latin language and means "to breath life into"

So, when you are working toward goals, objectives and projects that "inspire" you, this strong distinct and driven focus "breathes life into" your, well, Life!  You feel more alive, more engaged, more focused and more fulfilled. 

"Inspiration" is an emotional state not a logical one.  Yet, everyone values the experience of inspiration whether it is momentary insight into solving a pressing problem or an artistic endeavor expression like music, art or writing.  

Inspiration "breathes life into" our Life's Mission - which is our "WHY". 

• "Why" work later than others?

• "Why" deprive yourself of immediate gratification for a future benefit?

• "Why" get up earlier in the day to Prime your day and start off right?

Your "Why" should put the fire in your belly to accomplish your goals and move them down the field toward accomplishment.  

Scholar Warrior Way - Inspiration "Believe In the Power of Life" by Anthony Hopkins  

KEY TAKEAWAY:  A Great Why Creates Energy, Enthusiasm....Life!

Answer me this:  What is the origin of the word "Enthusiasm"?

Do you think it common excitement about a trivial endeavor?  Or what you experience at the release of a new movie?  Or is it something much, much more?

Consider the etymology of the word.  Etymology(definition below) means the words original linguistic intention.  See the full definition down below.

enthusiasm (n.)

c. 1600, from French enthousiasme (16c.) and directly from Late Latin enthusiasmus, from Greek enthousiasmos "divine inspiration, enthusiasm (produced by certain kinds of music, etc.)," from enthousiazein "be inspired or possessed by a god, be rapt, be in ecstasy," from entheos "divinely inspired, possessed by a god," from en "in" (see en- (2)) + theos "god" (from PIE root *dhes-, forming words for religious concepts). It acquired a derogatory sense of "excessive religious emotion through the conceit of special revelation from God" (1650s) under the Puritans; generalized meaning "fervor, zeal" (the main modern sense) is first recorded 1716.   Source:  click here

"be inspired or possessed by a god, be rapt, be in ecstasy"  catches the eye, doesn't it?

Your Why should be inspired and possessed by a god. Hopkins has garnered much wisdom during his personal travails, his work with the 'Hollywood mentality' (mostly unstable and self-serving) and a good long life.  

I met Anthony Hopkins only once, briefly, through a producer Michael Klinger who produced the original "Get Carter" film with Michael Caine.  Klinger was quite a character and knew Oliver Reed, Roger Moore, Lee Marvin...and Anthony Hopkins. 

Hopkins is a legendary actor but also a person whose had some rough roads.  He has acknowledged them as a part of the heavy drinking UK crowd (Hopkins is proudly Welsh)  such as Richard Harris, Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Oliver Reed (who died after a drinking contest) among others.  

[From Wikipedia]  Hopkins is a recovering alcoholic; he has stayed sober since he stopped drinking just after Christmas 1975.[80][81] He said, "I made that quantum leap when I asked for help. I just found something and a woman talked to me and she said, just trust in God. And I said, well, why not?" When asked, "Did you literally pray?" Hopkins responded: "No, I didn't. I think because I asked for help, which is a form of prayer."[39] In January 2020, when asked if he was still agnostic, he responded, "Agnosticism is a bit strange. An agnostic doubts and atheism denies. I'm not a holy Joe; I'm just an old sinner like everyone else. I do believe more than ever now that there is a vast area of our own lives that we know nothing about. As I get older, I can cry at the drop of a hat because the wonderful, terrible passion of life is so short. I have to believe there's something bigger than me. I'm just a microbe. That, for me, is the biggest feeling of relief – acknowledging that I am really nothing. I'm compelled to say, whoever's running the show, thank you very much."[43]

Assignment: 

What did you learn from Anthony Hopkins?  Perhaps you have a greater sensitivity about life, about your direction or purpose, or how to take risks with life to make  your life more fulfilled, happy and prosperous?

In this second video, you can see Anthony Hopkins detail his journey to the students of Thomas Aquinas College during his visit to the campus. 

Wikipedia Entry - Anthony Hopkins

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins CBE (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, film director, and film producer.[2] He has received many accolades, including two Academy Awards for Best Actor, four BAFTAs, two Emmys, the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a British Academy Television Award. In 1993, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts. Hopkins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 and the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008.

In 1968, Hopkins achieved recognition in film, playing Richard the Lionheart in The Lion in Winter. In the mid-1970s, Richard Attenborough, who directed five Hopkins films, called him "the greatest actor of his generation." In 1991, he portrayed Hannibal Lecter in the psychological horror film The Silence of the Lambs, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor. He reprised the role in its sequel Hannibal and the prequel Red Dragon. Other notable films include The Elephant Man (1980), 84 Charing Cross Road (1987), Howards End (1992), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Shadowlands (1993), Legends of the Fall (1994), Meet Joe Black (1998), The Mask of Zorro (1998), Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), and Thor: Ragnarok (2017). He received four more Academy Award nominations for The Remains of the Day (1993), Nixon (1995), Amistad (1997) and The Two Popes (2019) before winning a fourth BAFTA Award and a second Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of an elderly man diagnosed with dementia in The Father (2020), becoming the oldest Best Actor Oscar winner to date