How We Find Our Why Again
There are times in leadership when even meaningful work begins to feel heavy. The long hours, constant decisions, and emotional weight can make it hard to remember why we started in the first place. I have lived those moments. The days when purpose fades beneath the pace. But even in those times, our why is never lost. It is only waiting to be remembered…
That is why I hold on to reminders that bring me back to center. Recently, I watched Clint Pulver’s story, Be a Mr. Jensen. In it, a teacher notices a restless student and chooses to see possibility instead of frustration. He hands the student a pair of drumsticks and says, “I think you are a drummer.” That moment changes everything. It is simple and human, but it captures what purpose looks like in action.
Working at an arts-focused high school, I see this power every day. My daughter once majored in Figure Skating there. My son focused on Production Arts. Their dedication to their craft shaped how they learned, how they worked, and how they faced challenges. The arts became their foundation for resilience, focus, and joy. As a principal, I see that same transformation in my students daily. Art connects effort to meaning. It turns practice into purpose.
Leadership is no different. We lose our way when we forget that our influence lives in the small moments of connection. The meeting where someone feels heard. The hallway conversation that reminds a teacher that their work matters. The student who finally feels seen. These are our versions of handing someone a pair of drumsticks.
Finding the why again is not about a grand revelation. It is about slowing down long enough to notice the difference we already make. It is choosing to see potential where it is easy to see problems. It is remembering that leadership is not about titles or results. It is about people, purpose, and presence.
If you are feeling stretched or uncertain, take a moment to think about who handed you your drumsticks…the person who believed in you, who saw something you could not yet see in yourself. Then look around and pass that same belief forward. That is how we find our why again.
Clint Pulver captures this so well in his book I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave. He reminds us that great leadership is about creating spaces where people feel valued and seen. When leaders focus on connection and meaning, loyalty and trust naturally follow.
If you need a reminder of why this matters, take a few minutes to watch Be a Mr. Jensen. It is a simple story with a lasting message. Sometimes all it takes to find our why again is to remember the power we hold when we choose to see the best in others!
