When we know why, we are more likely to do it.

Since I hung up my competitive swim cap at 17, I’ve struggled with discipline. What was the foundation of my life, daily workouts on land and in the water, disappeared.

I was rudderless in an ocean of opportunity.

But even when swimming faded into the background, the lessons it taught stayed with me. As a youth, swimming gave me structure and a clear purpose—to train, to improve, to compete. That purpose guided my days and shaped my actions.

Without purpose I struggled to find discipline.

In fits and starts I flexed the discipline muscle and discovered that I could double down and do hard work. I learned that I was outcome driven and functioned well (enough) on little sleep. I could stay up late to cram for a test or put in long hours all weekend to meet a deadline at work.

But without a deadline or a deliverable, I was untethered.

This became clear when I started signing up for longer swims. Unlike studying for a test or turning around deliverables for a project, I couldn’t cram for a 10K or 20K swim. These longer endeavors required sustained effort and a deeper motivation. I came to realize that without a clear ‘why,’ my discipline wavered, making it harder to stay committed to the process

Its purpose that drives us forward and helps us embrace challenges.

In each phase of my life, finding purpose has been the key to rediscovering focus and harnessing the discipline that I learned as a youth.

Whether navigating the demands of work, training for a long swim, or starting a business, having a meaningful goal gave me direction. It reminded me why I was showing up every day, even when the work was hard.

Purpose gives our efforts meaning. When we know our “why,” we’re more likely to stick with it—whether in the pool or in life.

What’s your “why”? Join the conversation.