Her Next Chapters

93. The 5 Whys Technique (And Why You Should Try It Today)

• Christina Kohl

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In this episode, I share the powerful mindset exercise that helped me uncover the real reason I wanted to return to work after a 13-year career break. Learn how the “5 Whys” technique—originally developed at Toyota—can help you gain clarity, build motivation, and reconnect with your purpose during a job search, career pivot, or life transition. Plus, hear my personal story of how my why evolved from “paying off debt” to something much deeper. 

I've put together a curated podcast playlist specifically for job seekers with episodes on resume writing, LinkedIn optimization, networking, mindset management, and real success stories. Grab it using the link below. My fall group coaching program is coming soon—join the waitlist now for early access and bonuses!






Christina Kohl:

Hi and welcome to Her Next Chapter's podcast. I'm your host, Christina Kohl. I'm a mom of three and soon to be an empty nester. I'm also a certified HR pro who restarted my career after being a stay-at-home mom for over a decade. I created this podcast to connect with moms who have an empty nest on the horizon and are wanting to redefine their identity outside of motherhood, which might include a job search. On this show, we'll have raw conversations about our ever-changing roles as moms. We'll hear from women who restarted their careers and share tips for a job search after a career break. So if that's you, you're in the right place, friend, let's get started. Welcome back to Her Next Chapters, the podcast for women navigating career and life transitions with courage, clarity and heart. I'm your host, christina Cole, and today we're talking about one deceptively simple question why, actually, five of them? Let me explain.

Christina Kohl:

So when I was preparing to return to work after being a stay-at-home mom for 13 years, I eventually hired a career coach. So I've been doing this on my own for over a year and a half, and you guys, if you're in this situation, you know how challenging it is, and my confidence was low and I just wasn't sure if I could do it. And I struggled, even as an HR professional. I knew what I needed to do, but I was just getting so much rejection because 13 years out of the workforce that's a lot, and employers didn't have confidence in my abilities. I didn't have confidence in my abilities, was committing to my profession by getting recertified so that's an episode from last week recertified to HR, so I'm a senior professional, human resource professional. And the other thing was I finally invested in a coach and there I couldn't find a coach who knew anything about a career gap, job search. But I did connect with someone and she wasn't actually like a job search coach, she was more of a career coach. But I used that coaching opportunity for the accountability piece of it and really you know, getting back to little, why like? Why do I want to go back to work. And so we worked together for just a few months before I landed my job. So it did make a big difference. My coach helped me with clarity and accountability.

Christina Kohl:

We met every couple of weeks and on one of the coaching calls she asked me a question that honestly had stopped me in my tracks. W hy do you want to go back to work? Easy, I said, to earn money. And then she asked me again. Why? Well, to pay off our debt. And she said, W hy do you want to pay off your debt? At that point I was thinking what do you mean? Isn't it obvious? I said because I want to be debt-free. She was okay, so you're debt-free. Then what? And I had to think about it, like, well, then I'll have peace of mind, I won't worry about money. And she's like okay, why is that important? And then I had to really think about it. I'm like, well, then we could take family vacations. You know, we'd have the money to be able to afford it. And again she asked why. And that's when the tears started, because my kids are getting older, they'll be in college soon, working, and we won't have many chances left for those trips together. They'll be gone and we'll never get this time back. And she asked one more time why are family vacations important to you? And I said because we'll be creating memories and bonds that last, because that time together matters and I don't want to miss it.

Christina Kohl:

So I came into that call thinking it was all about getting a job. What I really needed was a reason, and so that's where the whys. It sounds like I'm saying wise W-I-S-E, but I guess it is wise to ask yourself why. And for me, that's when everything kind of shifted, because there was even more reasons why I wanted to return to work, things I couldn't articulate right away. I mean, yes, I wanted to stop worrying about money and I also wanted to know we could pay for college without sacrificing everything else. I didn't want my kids to be in debt for their college and I wanted to be a role model for my kids, and not just in what I said but in what I did. I wanted them to know what's possible for them. And then, finally, I wanted to contribute again, to use my experience in a way that mattered, and I wanted purpose, not only as a mom, but in a way that was separate from my family, to have that identity as just me, as just kind of my own thing, and getting queer and all that. That's what gave me the energy to keep going through a tough, long job search, a lot of rejections and the moments that I felt like giving up.

Christina Kohl:

Maybe you've heard about the five whys before, and it's kind of become part of the cultural norm, I guess. I mean, I've heard of it in multiple settings, but I did a little bit of research and if you're, like me, wondering where did this whole five whys things come from? Because, you know, I wanted to attribute it to like if there's an author or someone like I wanted to like not to say this is my thing I invented, or that coach that I worked with. But it turns out it actually started with Toyota. All the way back in the 1930s, the founder and I know I'm probably not going to get this name right, but I'm going to try Sakichi Toyota introduced the practice of asking why five times to get to the root of technical problems on the production line, and then later in the 50s, it became a key part of the Toyota production system thanks to Taichi Ono. It was all about digging deeper, beyond the surface problem, to the actual cause, and while it started on the factory floor, this technique has since found its way into therapy rooms, coaching sessions and even journal prompts, because it works. It's not just a tool for mechanics, it's a tool for meaning, and so my challenge for you, my invitation for you, is to try it, pick something.

Christina Kohl:

You want anything, maybe for you who is listening right now? You, specifically. You might want a new job, you might want to write a book, you might want to lose weight, you might want to move to a new city, or maybe to start a business, or maybe you want to go back to school. Then ask yourself why do I want that? Answer it, then ask again and again, five times, maybe more. You'll know you've hit the core when you feel it in your gut, in your throat, even in your tears. You might start with I want to lose 15 pounds. Why, well? Because I want my clothes to fit. Why? Because I want to feel confident in how I look? Why, well, actually I want to be healthy. Why, well, because I want to be able to play with my future grandkids, and I want to meet my great grandkids. Okay. So those are some pretty strong whys.

Christina Kohl:

It's not just about the 15 pounds, and so I use that as an example, and, of course, I've already talked about my example with the job. So I think this exercise can be really useful for all kinds of situations, and it's not about the goal, it's about the heart behind the goal and once you uncover that you'll move with clarity, with purpose. A nd friends, i f job searching is part of what you're navigating right now, I've put together a curated podcast playlist specifically for job seekers to help you take action and build momentum. You'll find episodes on how to write a compelling resume, optimizing your LinkedIn profile, networking without feeling awkward, managing your mindset because that is such an important part of a job search is your mindset. And also there's real life stories of women who made successful career changes. So this list, you can grab it using the link in the show notes. And if you're looking for more personalized support, my fall group coaching program is coming soon. The wait list is open now and spots will go first to the people on that list, along with early access bonuses. That links in the show notes too.

Christina Kohl:

All right, well, thanks for being here with me today. And if this episode stirred something in you, grab a notebook and start asking why. Your next chapter starts with clarity, and clarity starts with curiosity. All right, well, that's all for this week's episode. Friends, I'll talk to you next time. Thank you so much for listening today. I hope this episode hit home for you and if you haven't already, be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn and say hello, so I can personally thank you for listening. Until next time, remember, your story is uniquely your own, and your next chapters are ready to begin.