Finding Your Why is Essential for Sustained Success in Transitioning to a Vegan Lifestyle

I recently set up a poll on a Facebook Group page asking participants what their main motivating factor was in adopting a vegan lifestyle.  The results surprised me.  More on that later.

Thought leaders have touted that for a person to make a long lasting, sustainable change, there must be a strong sense of purpose for the change.  This is your Why.  When you know your Why, you align your actions with what you desire.  Choices and decisions are clear, they either move you closer to your Why or further away.  This is true in life and it is true in adopting a vegan lifestyle.

Without knowing your Why, the tendency is to haphazardly go from one thought or action to another, seemingly as the wind blows.  The lack of consistency and direction is indicative of a lack of commitment to the change.  Essentially, you are considering the change, but you are not committed to the change.

That’s ok.  It is healthy to explore and gain new knowledge and information.  It’s part of the education and filtering process.  But understand, what is being done is evaluating, not deciding.

My original Why in pursuing the vegan lifestyle was to lose weight.  And I did.  I lost 40 pounds in five months.  But as soon as I hit my goal weight, my Why was gone.  It was now irrelevant.  The strength of my Why had an unintended end date.  With my Why now gone, I did not have the motivation or strength to continue with the vegan lifestyle.  Within a couple months meat, dairy, and eggs crept back into my daily diet…as did the extra weight.  That pattern repeated itself a few times.

Weight loss, in and of itself, is not a strong enough Why.  Don’t get me wrong, weight loss may be a by-product of being vegan, but your Why has to be tied to something more compelling, something bigger.  For example, if you have young children and you have been diagnosed with heart disease, your Why may be to improve your health to reverse your chronic condition so that you have more energy and longevity for your children.  Thoughts of your young children growing up without you or you not being able to attend a school recital because of health limitations will have a deeper emotional impact for you.  This is a compelling Why and will give you strength and clarity in those moments of weakness.

My Why evolved with time.  What started as a weak, temporary purpose has evolved into a strong conviction that truly guides me in the decisions I make about diet and other purchasing decisions.  My Why is multi-layered.  I have a grandchild I want to see grow up, but more importantly, I want to be healthy enough to be very active with her.  Secondly, as an animal lover, I find eating animals to be very hypocritical.  Honestly, I am repulsed by the factory farming.  I am so moved emotionally by the abuse in factory farming that a large part of my Why is the protection of the animal rights and against the abuses they endure.  Lastly, we have a duty to protect our planet.  The burden placed on our planet in the raising of livestock is tremendous.  From our soil to our water to the air we breathe, factory farming has a detrimental impact that needs to be addressed.  I may not be able to change it myself, but it can start with me.  It would be a legacy I would be proud of leaving.

So, getting back to my Facebook Group poll that I mentioned above…

I was shocked by the responses.  I expected weight loss to be the driving reason.  That response came in second to last (supporting a family member who was trying to transition came last).  Overwhelmingly, the reason for adopting a vegan lifestyle was related to protection of animal rights, followed by protecting our environment, and then third was overall health concerns.

As shocked as I was, the results gave me a sense of hope.  Hope for those living a vegan lifestyle to continue.  They have tied their Why to something big, something compelling, and something that will guide their choices. 

In closing, if you want to increase your chances of successfully transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, get intimate with your Why.  Keep digging into your true Why, not your superficial Why.  Internalize your reasons and keep them present in your daily thoughts and routines.  I really believe when you do this your chance of successfully transitioning to a vegan lifestyle improves exponentially!

I would be interested in your Why.  Drop a comment and describe your Why. 

Wishing you the best of health!

Stephen