There can be many reasons why we do something. Sometimes, it's easy to do something because everyone else is doing it or because it's the default thing. But if we take a closer look and ask ourselves why we're doing something, we might find other reasons - better reasons - that compel us to act. This blog post will explore some reasons to do something and how looking a little deeper can help us make better life decisions.

Knowing our "why."

We do many things in our lives. We may do a good number of them because we got conditioned to do them or don't have time to ponder why we do them. It's okay not to question why you do something, but that may cause you to lose direction or motivation. On the other hand, knowing why you do something may help you better understand who you are and discover what direction you should take. All it takes is time off to think about yourself and pay attention to your actions. Of course, you may already know the reason in the first place, or perhaps you may be surprised to see the meaning and reason behind something you do. Knowing the good reason why you do something can make you motivated and more fulfilled in your life. The following are some reasons we do something; some may resonate with your circumstances.

1. It's a necessity

You may ask yourself why you do something to make sense of an activity you keep doing even though you don't enjoy it. An excellent example of this is the job you do almost daily. A significant number of us perhaps don't entirely like our jobs, but it's something that we do because there is something essential that we need to gain from it: money. Money is necessary to buy our needs and wants; without it, we won't live a good life. So out of necessity, we must do our jobs to make a living. This reasoning can sound negative, but it's true for some of us. It will be good if we can find something deeper and more fulfilling reason for doing our jobs besides money, such as fulfillment from the tasks themselves or enjoying the company of others. Otherwise, this is how it works for some: necessity drives them to do something.

2. For somebody

Another reason why we ultimately decide to do something is for the sake of another person. Using the example of having a job again, perhaps we choose to do something because we want to gain something, such as money, to benefit others, such as our family. A person can be a solid motivator to do something, especially if it's someone we treasure and close to us. Aside from family, we can choose to do something for a friend, like helping them become better at something through our efforts. You can even decide to be philanthropic and do something for someone not related to you, but you feel like doing something for the general good of others. If you can't find any answer when asking yourself why you do something, you can dedicate your efforts to someone's benefit.

3. Happiness and fulfillment

You can try finding all the answers to doing something, but sometimes, it's as simple as feeling happy and fulfilled from doing something. You feel lighthearted and optimistic from doing something, and there can be no more need to overthink things. This can usually be the case for your hobbies and passions, as you automatically feel nice when doing them, and there's no need to motivate yourself. When somebody asks you why you do something, or you ask the same question yourself, it's okay just to answer you are happy and fulfilled with what you are doing.

4. The desire to achieve something

Goals are great motivators because there is something you want to gain from accomplishing them. It can be a material object that gives you a great sense of accomplishment or the fact that you did something great that you can be proud of showing others. These things can serve as why we may be willing to exert time and effort to accomplish something that can take a long time to acquire or achieve because we know there is something incredible waiting at the end.

5. You are addicted to something

Getting addicted to something can be a positive or negative idea. When we are addicted to something or an activity, it's almost automatic to do something without thinking about why we have to. Our bodies and minds get conditioned that get some reward from engaging in an addictive activity or object, such as pleasure, so we get conditioned to do them. Addiction itself can be the reason why you do something. No problem when you are addicted to something positive, such as doing your work or doing kind acts for others. However, it's the other way around if it is a bad habit you are addicted to, especially ones that affect your health and mind. Addiction borders on the extreme, so it's essential to strike a balance even if you are addicted to something positive, as you may lose sight of other things.

6. Interest in something

We invest much of our interests and time in our hobbies and passions. When we do such a thing, we don't even need to get a reward after doing what we are interested in. The pleasure of doing the activity itself is enough for why we like to engage with something. The time we spend doing our hobby or passion gives us fulfillment, and it's enough reason to do them if we want to think about it.

What is your "why"?

We are not obligated to find out why we do things, but we can try doing them if we feel lost and need to motivate ourselves to do something. For stuff we like to do, we may not even need to question ourselves as simply enjoying the activity is enough for us. It's when we feel forced to do other things that the idea of asking yourself "why" can happen. However, it can be essential to know why we have to do something; otherwise, we may act like a robot doing things automatically and feel empty inside. Whenever you want to find a deeper purpose behind something, ask yourself, "why?" You may realize if you must continue doing something or choose something better that can work for your well-being and fulfillment.