What if your reason could simply be… just because?
There are many books and quotes about the importance of having a why.
You will sometimes hear the line often attributed to Nietzsche who wrote: He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.
Viktor Frankl spoke about this too. When people have a strong sense of meaning or purpose, they can endure remarkable challenges.
There is a lot of truth in that.
Having a reason. A direction. Something that matters.
And yet, every now and then, life presents us with a slightly different situation. You might find yourself doing something difficult, or persisting with something that feels uncertain.
Someone might ask, “Why are you doing that?” And you realise you are not entirely sure.
Perhaps you once had a clear reason but it has faded. Perhaps the original motivation has shifted. Or perhaps the truth is simply that something in you wants to continue.
This reminds me of my daughter when she was a toddler. Like many small children, she occasionally entered a phase of determined stubbornness. If she wanted to do something, she wanted to do it. When asked why, she would sometimes pause, think about it for a moment, and then announce with great authority:
“Just because.”
It was delivered with such conviction that it was hard to argue with.
And in its own way, there is a curious wisdom in that.
In Huna, one of the principles is Makia. Energy flows where attention goes. When you choose to focus your attention somewhere, life begins to organise around that focus. Often we think we need a perfectly constructed reason before we can give something our attention. A noble purpose. A carefully articulated goal. A meaningful explanation we can justify to ourselves and others.
But sometimes the act of choosing itself is enough. “Just because” can be surprisingly powerful. It cuts through endless internal debate. It removes the need to justify yourself to imaginary critics. It allows you to act from a simple place of decision.
Why continue learning something new?
Just because.
Why write the article, take the walk, start the project, make the phone call?
Just because.
In a strange way, this kind of reason is almost impossible to argue with. There is nothing to dismantle. No explanation to pick apart. It is simply a choice.
And in Huna terms, choice is where energy begins to move.
So here is a small experiment you might try:
Notice if there is something you feel quietly drawn to do but keep postponing because you cannot fully justify it. Perhaps it is learning something, starting a creative idea, reaching out to someone, or continuing a project that matters to you.
Instead of waiting until you have the perfect explanation, allow yourself to borrow the toddler approach.
Take one small step.
And if the questioning voice appears, simply answer it gently. “Just because.”
Not as a way of avoiding thought. But as a reminder that sometimes life moves forward through simple decisions rather than elaborate reasons. You can always discover deeper meaning later. For now, attention is enough. Choice is enough.
Subsequent dialog with my co trainer Stewart Blackburn reminded us of a relevant deeper underlying drive which is often overlooked and not in many people’s conscious awareness. Sometimes referred to as ‘value fulfilment’ this is the existential drive to grow, expand, explore, learn, and create. It exists in all living things and is extremely powerful.
It inspires us to do most of what we do. And yet we avoid saying that it is something substantial, preferring instead to find “reasons” for our actions. Often we will do something just because… and then go back and find a reason for what we did. Just because can be the echo of that value fulfilment.
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If you are interested in exploring Huna and related topics further. Check out our forthcoming live online workshops here: https://www.urbanhuna.org/events/
