We all have lists; lists of what needs to be done, lists of what we’d like to do, lists of what others would like us to do, grocery lists, track lists, wish lists, various checklists, you name it. We use lists all the time.

Of course lists are useful, they help us track what needs to be done. Lists help us to remember. We even have lists that organize lists (think a list of group types that are comprised of a list of people.)

We need lists, they’re infinitely useful. I use lists all the time. I have different lists for every undertaking that I have. Every project has their own lists; things that need to be done, people who are associated with that project, tasks, etc. I carry an inordinate number of notebooks with me. It’s how I organize.

A thought has recently been coming up a lot though lately. I have lists to keep track of things that need to be done – the what, but maybe I should be asking myself “why” more often.

While “what” informs, “why” can inspire and transform.

I know that with myself, I can get caught up in “what” needs to be done. I think organizations do the same. It becomes more about “what” needs to be done. Often, we don’t take enough time to ask “why?” I would offer that “why” can often times be more important than “what”, it can be a more transformative question.

We have plenty of things to do, but are they all worth it?