Last Updated on April 3, 2022 by Nadim Alamuddin
What is your “WHY” and why is it so important? In general terms, your “why” can be described as your purpose in life or in business. A lot of entrepreneurs go full out, invest and start a new business, without really thinking about why they’re doing it in the first place!
Professionally, I used to be a management consultant. Now, I’m an IT Director. To do my job properly, I need to listen to my client and capture his/her requirements. So, how do I do that? By asking open ended questions, like why, how, when, what? Usually, knowing why the client is asking for a particular requirement is the key to how I can formulate a proper solution for him/her. It is what drives the client in his/her business.
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So, what is your sense of purpose?
As Frederick Nietzsche said “He who has a why can endure any how”. Simply put, your why gives you clarity in the higher sense of purpose that enables you to focus your efforts on the things that matter most. If you know your why, you will know how to achieve the goals that you set for yourself to create the life you enjoy living.
Your why will inspire you to do the things you need to keep going, it will push you forward when you’re down, especially when setting up a new business and encountering less than expected results. Your why should be so powerful that thinking of it will make you move mountains.
What will knowing your “Why” achieve?
Each of us needs to have a why before taking action. Most people start with taking action without knowing why they’re doing so. It’s as if they embark on a journey without knowing their destination. There are many reasons people become entrepreneurs; professional & financial independence, personal satisfaction, professional autonomy. But, in most cases, the single most common reason is to gain freedom, which comes in many forms. Freedom from corporate bureaucracy, freedom to be your own boss, freedom to work when you want not when you have to, freedom of creativity in the products or services you offer, etc. As an entrepreneur, finding your why will propel you towards achieving that freedom.
So, what defines your WHY?
So, how do you determine your why? One way to do so is by gaining a deeper understanding of your inner self to understand what talents, skills, values and/or passions you can offer the world. If you explore the following questions below, you will find that by intersecting these, you may find a sweet spot that defines your why.
- So, what is it that drives YOU? A lot of people tend to say money. But, what if I ask the same question like this: if money were no object, what would you do? What fire inside you is so hot that will spring you into action whenever you think of it? THAT is your WHY. For me, I know exactly what it is, and that is what drives me to wake up each morning two hours before I need to, to work on my business, before going to my steady job. After work, I come home and put another couple of hours every night to ensure I set it up properly. I cannot share what my why is as I consider it too personal to do so, but it definitely involves my family and how I want our future to become. But, it is a clear and specific why, which, whenever I encounter an obstacle, just thinking about it will kick me into action again.
More questions to ask yourself as to what your WHY is
- What skills or talents do you possess? What are things you’ve always excelled at? Do you have a creative mind? Or are you more analytical? What leadership skills do you have? What you need to really focus on here is what really makes you passionate. Although I always thought of myself as not having a drop of creativity in me (being an engineer by profession), I have found out quite the opposite when I started blogging and studying digital marketing. In fact, I found a passion for learning and absorbing interesting strategies that had never interested me. So, if you’re not sure what skills you have, ask your friends & family. Sometimes others see things in us that we are blind to.
- Where would you add the greatest value? You may work at a job you’re good at, but if you hate the job, it certainly is not what you really want to achieve. In order to identify where opportunities lie, you need to focus where your strengths and skills can add the most value. I love my job. I do add value at what I do. But, I have identified that there is another niche where I can also add value, which is what is drawing me to blogging and digital marketing.
- How will you measure your life? What do you stand for and how do you align your life with it? So, as I mentioned earlier in the post, if you live with purpose, you focus on the things that matter most.
Conclusion: Now that you know what your WHY is…
As a summary, knowing your why or purpose will set your rudder in the right direction so that you sail towards your goals that you set for yourself. You owe it to yourself to start doing what you say you want to do. If this is really your passion, taking action will only strengthen your resolve and let you achieve what you set your heart to do. Remember, passion is contagious. The key to harnessing this passion is to understand your why.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please leave your comments below. You may also enjoy reading the following posts:
- How To Set SMART Goals And Achieve Them
- The No.1 Key To Getting Results
- How to Grow Your Business With ONE Key Ingredient
- What The Heck Is This Blog About?
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