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What's a "Written Why" and How Do I Write One?
What's a "Written Why" and How Do I Write One?

Writing Your Why

Stephen Zepp avatar
Written by Stephen Zepp
Updated over 8 months ago

Why are you coming to Exodus?

Nearly all men who come to Exodus are seeking greater freedom. It is important to begin with a clear intention of the particular ways in which you need to be freed and how you will direct this freedom.

We need to break free from our modern Pharaohs. We men are enslaved in many ways by our dependencies and attachments: to sports, cell phones, work, television, videos, video games, food, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, smoking, money, stock trading, news, homework, public appearance, power, control, hobbies, gambling, materialism, laziness, and narcissism. Most prominently in our day, men have become enslaved to pornography and masturbation.

Take time to look over this list. It is by no means exhaustive. Rather, it is meant to help you reflect on—and specifically name—your dependencies and attachments. Be honest about what you need to be free from. Be honest with yourself, with your brothers, and with the Lord. This honesty is a vital step toward freedom.


Writing Your Why

You will be prompted to refer back to your written “why” throughout this exercise, so taking this writing project seriously is important. There are two elements to a clear “written why.”

  1. Name a dependency or attachment that you hope to be free from.

  2. Name a person(s) you love that you want to be free for.

Here are two examples of a written why:

  1. “I want to be free from laziness so that I can engage in my own daily life.”

  2. “I want to break free of my attachment to my cell phone for my wife, daughter, and new child on the way.”


Where should I keep my written why?

When you are ready to write your why, go to the main page of the app, under the reflection, and click the button that says “My Why”. Like all of the chats on notes you use on the Exodus, this is encrypted so that not even our app producers can read what you write. This gives you a secure place to take notes so that you will be able to reference through your Exodus journey.


“He who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God” (John 3:21).

Be courageous and come into the light. Write your why with honesty and with love for others.

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