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- Uncovering the Root of Your Problems: The Power of the 5 Whys
Uncovering the Root of Your Problems: The Power of the 5 Whys
Getting to the root with why, building strength, and surrendering.
GM. This is Man Morning - the newsletter for the man who wants to wake up each morning with a greater sense of purpose and community.
In today’s issue:
🍂 But, why?
💬 Smart words
📚 What we’re reading
🍂 BUT, WHY?
Odds are what you think is your problem isn’t your actual problem. It’s a symptom.
The symptom is like a leaf on a tree.
It’s only when we pull back from the leaf to the twig to the branch to the trunk to the roots that we can identify the real issue.
One simple way to dig and uncover the roots is by asking yourself “Why?” 5 times.
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries, developed the “5 Whys” process in the 1930s. Many companies, and individuals, use this approach today to solve their most pressing problems.
Here’s how it works in a real-life scenario. Imagine your “problem” is:
You want to make more money.
Next, you ask yourself "Why?" five times. Here’s how this could play out:
1. “Why do I want to make more money?”
I want to make more money, so money isn’t a concern in my life.
2. “Why don’t I want money to be a concern in my life?”
Because lacking money creates stress and anxiety.
3. “Why does lacking money create stress and anxiety?”
Because I have a family that I’m responsible for and I don’t want to let them down.
4. “Why don’t I want to let my family down?”
Because taking care of and providing for my family is the most important thing to me.
5. “Why is taking care of and providing for my family the most important thing to me?”
Because growing up, I experienced a lot of instability and worry. I want to provide my kids with the stability and safety I never had.
As you can notice from this example, the first “why” isn’t enough. Nor is the second, third, or fourth.
What you get with the fifth “why” are the roots.
The real answer requires digging deep and going beyond the surface.
What’s fascinating about the “real” answer in this example is that ensuring his kids “never have to worry and always feel safe,” probably isn’t solely reliant on his earning more money.
What he probably wants is to be a stable and safe presence in their lives.
This is very different from wanting to make more money. It gets to the bottom of what he truly wants.
The “five whys” exercise can be a game changer in your life. It can help you understand not only what you want, but also why you crave a certain outcome.
Once you acknowledge the deepest root of your desires, you can “solve” all of your problems.
💬 SMART WORDS
📚 WHAT WE’RE READING
This New York Times bestselling book also addresses the theme of today’s issue of how to solve your problems. Author Michael A. Singer writes about:
How to stop making the outside world conform to your desires
Letting go of the need to control everything
Placing your trust in life’s perfection
The book provides a behind the scenes glimpse into Singer's journey of pursuing a life of isolation in the woods, starting a spiritual community in Florida, and leading a billion-dollar medical software company.
Singer describes how a pivotal decision helped him relinquish his personal fears, get through difficult times, and achieve extraordinary success.
That's it for today. Enjoyed this issue? Share with a friend who will appreciate it.
Man Morning Team (MMT)
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