Get to the Core of Your Coconut: Your Why!
Does your Why make you cry?
I’ve heard that question so many times when people are searching for their “Why”, or for the reason they are pursuing something very important in their lives.
I don’t know about you……..but I’d rather ask, “Does your Why make you come alive?
Does it make you get excited?
When you wake up in the morning, does it make you want to get to work to make it happen?”
Recently while read
ing one of my favorite books, “The Ant and the Elephant” by Vince Poscente, I was intrigued by the illustration in the book addressing this topic.
If you haven’t read the book “The Ant and the Elephant”, the author weaves a clever parable around profound concepts that can have an immediate impact on our life.
Adir the ant, and Elgo the elephant, are like two teammates who must work together to realize a common goal. Adir, (our overly ‘conscious’ hero) and Elgo (Adir’s stubborn and instinctual ‘subconscious’ partner) must learn to work as a single creature in order to reach their Oasis, their vision of paradise in the African savannah.
The following is an exchange between Adir, the ant and Brio, the Wise Owl who helps him break the habit of negative thinking to realize his dreams.
“When you can’t ask yourself WHY any further, then you know you’ve reached what I call the core.
Adir, think of a coconut. If you were to see it cut in half, you’d see a number of layers.
The tough, fibrous weave is a difficult exterior to break through. 
Then there’s the hard layer that must be cracked.
Then there’s the meaty layer.
Finally the core of the coconut holds a sweet, milky treasure.
Each layer seems to protect an inner layer.
Your core is just like the coconut’s core, and to get to the treasures inside you, you need to ask yourself Why.”
There is another important fact about the inner fluid of the coconut. Coconut water is almost identical to blood plasma and this makes it easy to use for blood transfusions. In cases of emergency, coconut water has been used as an intravenous hydration fluid instead of the standard IV fluid. During World War II many wounded soldiers were saved in the Pacific because of emergency transfusion using coconut water as plasma.
Do you get it? It seals the deal for me as to how important getting to the core of our Why is.
The core gives us life.
It revitalizes us.
It can save our lives.
The core is what motivates us. It’s the answer to the question, “What makes you feel alive?”
Ask yourself what you love to do and why you love it.
Your core – the answer to your Why – will remain constant throughout your life.
Your Why will keep you moving forward even when your elephant (subconscious) wants to lead you in the opposite direction.
Your Why will keep you headed toward your ‘Oasis” (dreams) even when you are exhausted, distressed and anxious.
Your Why will keep your goal in focus and your vision clear, even when other people tell you to forget about it, that it will never happen.
Zero in on the goal that has a depth of meaning. Give your Why Life by getting to the inner core of your being.
The journey has to be worth taking.
It has to make you come alive.
Your Networking Friend,
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Lynn,
Well said it so important to understand who we are and getting to the core esscence and then we can be true and honest with ourselves and get on the path to where we really want to be and get what we want out of life. Lynn thanks for sharing. LaKeisha Hankins
Hi Lakeisha, I appreciate your comments. I think as time goes on we do understand more about ourselves and what we want in life.
thanks for stopping by,
Lynn
I love the coconut illustration. Never thought of it that way. Knowing who we are and why we do things is really important.
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Hi Melodie, don’t you think that we are forever learning about ourselves. I think the deeper we delve into what we truly want, we uncover more about us. Life has a way of taking over and sometimes we forget our dreams.
Have a blessed week,
Lynn
Hi Lynn…
This was just what I needed to read first thing getting myself going today! I have been dealing with my terminally ill sister being in the hospital and working on her home care plan…and THEN to top it off…my laptop…where my entire business life is managed…decides to sound like a lawn mower this morning.
Ho Hum.
It took me a bit to get my hinney on the “family computer” that is slower than molasses in January…but I got here!
I loved the story. And I really like how you say “Does Your Why Make You Come Alive?” Wonderful! Of course my Why makes me cry! So do all of the things going on in my life these days!
But I assure you…those challenges do not make me come alive…my Why does!
So here I am saying howdy and thank you for such a thoughtful post…just what I needed!
Karen
Hi Karen, I love your comments as much as I love your blog posts! You were born to write!
Love you!
Lynn
Hey Lynn,
I appreciate it very much, create a great day!
I am so glad I got here finally, I loved the story and I have been meaning to get that book, I am going to place it on hold at the Library ASAP, you also told me a fact about coconut that I didn’t know, I appreciate you putting together this wonderful post and I did get value from reading it, I have always wondered why most people say your why should make you cry, I am glad to hear you say “Does your Why make you come alive? Does it make you get excited? And my answer to that is yes, I thought something was wrong with me because my why didn’t make me cry,
Jennifer Buchanan
Hi Jennifer,
Enjoy the book. I know I do. I’ve read it about 3 times!
Maybe we are alike in that we don’t cry easily.
Lynn
Great article on getting to the “why” of what you do! I really like your accromyn and camparison to breaking through the coconut. Im actually thinking why I do what I do now. Thanks alot!
Adrian,
Thanks for commenting on my blog post. After living in the Philippines, I experienced those hard shelled coconuts and also the refreshing life giving liquid inside!
Your friend,
Lynn
Thank you for sharing this information. Good info…
Hey Lynn, very interesting article and I really like your use of the coconut for your “why” analogy. I think coming to grips with our ultimate “why” is a challenge for most people – some never seem to find it because it really does take a bit of work to get down to the juicy, meaningful heart. Thanks!
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Marty, I think you are right in that some never really find their true Why. It does take some thinking and digging into how we really feel and think. And I also think it can change as we dig deeper and grow as a person.
Have a fabulous day,
Lynn
Hey Lynn,
I too like the coconut analogy. Many times I have used an onion as one and really I, after reading, feel I am closer to the coconut. There is more to me and getting to it is about breaking through the shell. I had a great opportunity to share my why today and couldn’t bring myself to do so.
Charles
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Charles, Yes, I much rather prefer the illustration of a coconut than the onion. The onion makes you cry peeling it. The coconut, after breaking through it’s exterior…..you find a wonderful, refreshing substance. It taste better to! lol
come back again,
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
love your analogies and the story of the ant and the elephant.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Coconut water doubling as IV liquid – life saving.
Apparently chlorophyll can be used instead of blood in emergencies since it has the same chemical structure with a Magnesium at the center instead of the Iron elent.
You are so right the ‘Why’ can help us pull through.
Thank you so much for this great information.
Cheers,
Yorinda
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