Find Your Why and Thrive
Identifying your internal driver can help advance your career
Feeling overwhelmed about taking the next step in your professional career is a natural, human response. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform roles, enhance processes, and disrupt entire industries, it’s understandable that many professionals feel anxious about adapting so quickly.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, 63% of employers see skill gaps as the most significant obstacle to business transformation from 2025 to 2030. Whether the objective is to advance, pivot, or explore a particular subject, reskilling and upskilling are dependable strategies that help working professionals stay competitive and adaptable as the job market evolves.
Identify Your Why
While external rewards such as promotions or new certifications are valuable, finding your internal driver is essential for determining how you want to achieve your goals and, most importantly, for setting yourself up for long-term success. This internal driver or sense of purpose is a combination of the values and goals that help define your personal and professional direction. McKinsey research finds that 70% of employees say their sense of purpose is defined by their work, highlighting a clear connection between purpose-driven work and employee satisfaction.
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of what is now known as Toyota Industries, created the “Five Whys” as a method for moving past superficial issues and identifying the root cause of manufacturing issues. This problem-solving technique is a powerful tool that can be used to identify what makes professional advancement meaningful and can serve as a strong starting point when mapping out your academic and professional goals.
To start, you need to ask yourself what you want to accomplish and ask the question “why?” five times until you get to the internal driver that is attached to your goal.
Five Whys in Practice
Professional Goal: I want to be a Lead Systems Engineer
Why? The title showcases experience and expertise.
Why? It means I’m trusted with better projects, I’m able to innovate, and earn more.
Why? It validates that what I’m spending my time on is something I’m truly good at, while also allowing me to gain industry recognition and financial growth.
Why? I want to feel professionally fulfilled and afford a better life for myself and my family.
Why? I want to live a creative, generous, and comfortable life.
That’s your "why:" to live a creative, generous, and comfortable life. Taking the time and space to explore what is at the core of your goal will help you stay realistic, remain consistent, and ultimately achieve your desired objective.
Take Ownership of Your Journey
Once you have identified your internal motivator, the next step is to create a plan and make decisions that move you closer to achieving your goal, always keeping your "why" in mind.
For Jennifer Wooley, academic programs and student services director for the College of Lifetime Learning, the journey starts with moving forward with curiosity and intentionality.
"I don’t think of growth as choosing a single path so much as setting a direction. Within any direction, there are multiple possible paths — and the ability to see those options comes from being open and intentional," she says. "For me, that has meant learning deeply about my organization, staying curious about how other organizations operate, and thinking beyond traditional boundaries."
So, where should you start?
- Identify your current skillset
Recognizing your strengths and connecting them to your professional goals makes your journey more sustainable and enjoyable, especially when you tap into skills that come naturally to you.
- Define your personal learning goals
Once you have defined your “why” and spent time exploring your natural strengths, you can begin mapping out your desired career path and the learning goals that will support it.
- Pursue opportunities that work with your schedule
Academic and professional advancement requires you to be realistic and honest about the level of commitment you can make as you continue your education. Choose credentials that align with both your ambitions and your current responsibilities.
There are various learning paths, from short courses to certificates to master’s degrees. It's important to select a credential that aligns with your priorities and offers a realistic progression, because establishing your academic goals becomes simpler when they are rooted in your purpose.
Professional Master’s in Manufacturing Leadership graduate Ben Potts notes that exploring opportunities that naturally interest you can help you create a plan that feels genuine and offers a good return on investment. “I did not have a specific career goal in mind when I applied for this program, but I was keenly interested in the topics of the classes listed. This program helped bring clarity to my professional path and set me up nicely for the next step in my career,” he says.
Face Barriers Head-On
Continuing your education requires adapting to a new lifestyle and remaining flexible as you develop new skills and balance a busy work and personal life.
"One of the biggest challenges adult learners face is figuring out how they learn best — and then creating the space to actually do it," notes Wooley. "In my day-to-day work, I’m constantly moving from one task to another, juggling priorities and multitasking. Transitioning from that pace into focused, intentional learning was harder than I expected. Sitting still and concentrating didn’t come naturally at first. What helped was being very deliberate."
She leans on self-reflection and proactive habits when tackling challenges, and then moves forward with intention.
"I carved out specific study times, created a quiet space where I could focus, and returned to learning techniques I hadn’t used in years — printing transcripts, taking handwritten notes, and slowing down the process," she explains. "Those strategies didn’t just help me academically; they improved how I absorb and retain information in my everyday work. For adult learners, acknowledging these challenges and designing learning habits with intention can make all the difference."
Seeking guidance from mentors, instructors, coworkers, and classmates is also critical to making informed decisions and feeling energized about the journey ahead. Checking in with yourself throughout the process, communicating with your professors, and finding time to reset by taking breaks will lower your stress, improve your energy, and keep you engaged as you expand your expertise.
Grow with Purpose
Continuous, intentional improvement leads to a stronger, more sustainable competitive advantage. As the job market continues to shift, it is critical to keep an open, realistic, and engaged perspective. When you understand your “why,” you clarify your true motivation, strengthen your decision-making, and make choices that allow you to expand your skills in meaningful ways. Ultimately, this realization positions you to not only adapt but thrive.
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