Change the Why or Change the How

From Getting Results | The Book

You can't always change the 'what', but you can always change the why or how.

Changing the how would be things like:

• using deliberate practice (a disciplined approach to improve a routine activity)
• making it a game (against time, against yourself, ...)
• pairing up with somebody
• changing when you do it -- different energy (power hours, creative hours)
• linking it to good feelings (play your favorite songs or chunk it up or timebox things)

Changing the why would be things like:

• finding a higher cause (I'm doing this for the greater good vs. just for me)
• making new meaning (I don't want to rake the leaves -> raking the leaves helps do my part around the house)
• tell a simple story (I write the code that brings good ideas to life.)

On changing the why -- the key is to find an intersection with your core values.