What’s Your “Why”?
When you are starting a business you need to be clear about your “why” – your purpose.
Some people say “that’s easy, it’s to make money!”
Well, I disagree. If you start your business with the purpose of making money….you won’t! Your decisions will be based on yourself and not on who you serve. Your actions will be based on making money, not on the reason why you serve! You will be found out – people will see the truth behind any branding message you try to put out there.
So, what is your “why”?
Your purpose has to be something bigger. It is what gets you up in the morning to go into your business. It is what makes you shake off disappointment when it hits, and drives you forward despite setbacks.
Most people start business because they seek things like financial freedom, or more free time, or to be their own boss so that they can control their work/life balance, or even to find time to travel. However all these things are results of being successful in business. Deep down inside people start businesses because they wish to serve, or they have an idea that could change the world.
Watch this video to see how knowing your “why” can drive you over obstacles because it is so much bigger than making money – which you can do by closing your business and going to work for someone else!
And at the end, don’t forget to download your free worksheet on how to find your “why”.
I repeat – when you are in business, your “why” is much more important than your “what” or even “how”.
Imagine how a conversation might go if you are talking about your law practice: “I run a great law practice (what). I employ only qualified lawyers who follow our quality systems to write clear contracts (what).”
Ho hum, right?
What if this conversation went: “I am inspired by small business people and I grew up feeling they needed someone to protect them from unscrupulous negotiators. I am driven to protect small business people (Why). Oh, by the way I run a law firm to do just that (What) by hiring top lawyers (How).
Now I’m interested to hear more from you.
Armed with a strong purpose for starting your business you can go past any setback. Your purpose motivates you, sets the light on the hill that you are striving towards. Setbacks merely become challenges because you have a reason to go on.
So what is your “Why”?
To find out, explore what you are passionate about. Your passions don’t necessarily have to do anything directly with your business. You may be passionate about doing things right, or equal rights, or even great art. It’s how these passions affect the way you do business – that passion about great art could mean that you are also passionate about quality in whatever you do.
Next, think about what your innate strengths are. Are you good at numbers? Are you innovative and able to see things from outside the box?
Your passions and your strengths lead to your purpose. Think about how they combine. As an accountant, being good at seeing numbers for what they mean, coupled with the passion for helping people might mean that your purpose is to ensure that all your clients are served by ensuring they understand what their figures mean for them, that everyone you serve can grow through this understanding.
Now, get your free worksheet here, to work out what your purpose is, what your “why” is.
If you are just starting your business, I also recommend my online training course called “How To Start Your Business” where I start with making sure you have worked out your personal readiness to start a business, by understanding your “why.” If you want to start your own business, this 5 module online training course provides 5 video learning modules packed with downloads to work on and loads of bonuses. You can find out about it by going to my website at teikoh.com and click on the Products tab.
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