In business or your personal life, do you ever struggle with motivation or ‘steam’? Ever feel like you’re not progressing, or even sometimes going backwards? Many life factors can cause these impacting feelings, from minor to severe – however one of the main factors for these feelings, especially in the business world is not knowing your ‘Why’. Also described as having & knowing your purpose.
Why do you get up in the morning, and do what you do?
Whether you want to raise money for a charity, make an impact on the world or improve your health – By having, defining & living by your ‘WHY’, a fire inside is ignited that can be far more powerful than any financial or other material incentives.
You may already have a ‘Why’ and ‘Purpose’, but never really think about it. Perhaps a life event has inspired you to make improvements, spend more time with the family or a want to achieve greater things to improve the future of your children. A ‘Why’ can come in many sizes, and will mean totally different things to different people. Your ‘Why’ can also change overtime, usually aligning with life experiences and changes to circumstances.
A personal experience where I discovered / developed one of my ‘Why’s’ was several years ago when my Nan was diagnosed with cancer, and then eventually lost the battle. Many people will know how this feels; I was obviously quite helpless in the situation, and there isn’t a lot you can do to take control of this sort of situation.
However, I developed a burning desire to make some sort of impact, no matter how small. The way I dealt with it was to raise as much money as possible for the hospice that had helped my Nan and associated cancer charities. At the time, I had average fitness and had never done anything strenuous in terms of physical activity. I went from struggling to run a 5K distance, to within 2 years had ran several marathons, rode 500 Miles from Manchester to Paris, took part in a 7 Day mountain bike race across the Canadian Rockies and completed a 80KM Ultra Marathon across the Lake District Mountains
To this day, I still don’t think I have or even had at the time the fitness level needed to complete these challenges, however I had a burning desire to finish, driven from my ‘Why’ & ‘Purpose’. This ‘Why’ still burns strong and allows me to continue with keeping up with training and future challenges.
Fast forward to more recent times – I’ve always had business & financial goals, which I thought were there for a reason. It was only when our Son came along, where my ‘Why’ gained clarity & purpose, and allowed me to focus on the right stuff. Having a family now drives me, which means I set short term and long-term targets for myself, and I often review If I am spending my time wisely.
Having a ‘Why’ behind your business, can supercharge progress, growth and client experience.
Reading this blog may have made your ‘Why’ clear. For some, you may have to do some exploring. The below questions may help you gain some clarity & get closer to your ‘Why’:
- What ignites you & inspires you to get up and go?
- What are your strengths, and do they add the greatest value?
- Why do you get up in the morning, and do what you do?
- Do you want to make an impact, small or big?
- Are you spending your time on the ‘right things’ to help you achieve your ‘WHY’?
- ‘Action over ideas’ – Are you taking action and progressing, today?
- Do you have short & long term measurable goals?
- Do you regularly review your past work/time, and plan in advance?
- Can you x10 your goals to ensure success? Aim higher than you require, and you will get further than you desire.
Many business leaders talk about defining your ‘Why’ and ‘purpose’. One of the well-known, and best advocates of this method is Simon Sinek.
You can watch his TEDTalk if you want to learn more about defining your ‘Why’ in business:
Get in touch if you want to discuss this post or the WHY concept.
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