Start with How, Not Why.

Working in schools with adolescents for 15 years as a counselor, I listened to hundreds of young people talk through what they wanted to do with their lives.

Particularly when selecting subjects or preparing to leave high school, my office would fill with senior students seeking a listening ear to talk through their choices. Many of the students presented with two beliefs that clouded their ability to see a path forward.

Two motivating beliefs that frequently emerged in these conversations:

• One: "It's important to help people."

• Two: "It's important to get rich."

The trouble with these two motives, which are not mutually exclusive as many students presumed, is they focus on outcomes, not action.

While focusing on your why when pitching a product or service may be effective marketing, it's not particularly helpful for making career choices.

Knowing why you want to do something is not nearly as important as knowing what you love doing.

If we start with why, it's easy to become trapped by somebody else's idea of what it means to help. In an effort to appear virtuous and please people around us, we may inadvertently squeeze ourselves into a career path that doesn't fit, and we join the multitude of miserable workers afflicted by Mondayitis.

On the other hand, if you start by tuning into your heart and identifying what you love doing, you'll be fueled by intrinsic motivation.

When we work from genuine joy rather than obligation, our impact is more authentic and sustainable. The love, joy, and satisfaction you find in the work will spill over, and you won't be able to stop yourself from helping people.