The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why. —Mark Twain
Finding your ‘why’ is not easy, nor is it something you can do on your own. Many people believe they already know the reason or the ‘why’ behind their career motivations when that is not entirely the case. Those people are often driven by the result of their ‘why’, not the ‘why’ itself. Your ‘why’ is not earnings. Money is the result. Your children are not your ‘why’. They are also the result. To put it simply, your ‘why’ is your purpose, cause, or belief in what you do. When we are introspective about what our ‘why’ really is, we often find that it is more about what we contribute to society and the impact that contribution has on real people. Making a difference is what leads to finding fulfillment, and when we are fulfilled, we can find happiness. The only way to truly find fulfillment is to find your ‘why’.
Imagine a world in which you wake up every single day and make business and personal decisions that are in alignment with your true purpose, cause, or belief. Now, imagine waking up every day and making those same decisions based on someone else’s purpose, cause, or belief. The former is where you find fulfillment. Putting your purpose and your ‘why’ first may ruffle a few feathers, however, you will instantly find your tribe and those who share your beliefs. Those are the ones you want to be around—the ones that march alongside you in your charge. How much better would both your business and personal lives be?
Your ‘why’ develops at a young age, by the age of 12 to be exact. Most of us are not conscious of our ‘why’ and so we make our decisions based on what we were taught throughout our experiences and how our parents or role models made decisions. Our choices, our paths, and our tribes of people are developed subconsciously because of that. When you decide to find your ‘why’, you will experience a life-changing transformation.
Now, it is one thing to find your ‘why’. It is quite another to live by it. There are a lot of opportunities that could derail you from your ‘why’, which could cause you to lose focus. Living your ‘why’ is a conscious effort. It will take some reminders along the way, but it is crucial to find something the represents your ‘why’. To keep yourself reminded, find something that represents your ‘why’ and keep it on you at all times or in your line of sight. These constant reminders will help you live your ‘why’.
Your ‘why’ is for you— it isn’t a catchy marketing jingle or a value proposition for clients. It’s your purpose, your cause, and your belief. To give you an example, my ‘why’ is to create an environment of honesty and loyalty so that we can both become the leaders we wish we had. Now, what’s your ‘why?
Colin Bradford is a certified MAPS and The One Thing, Coach.