What’s Your ‘Why’? 3 Steps To Get Clear On Yours
Updated: Jun 23, 2022
Written by: Kimberly Viera, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In life, we are super great at WHAT we do and HOW we do it. But if you feel any life dissatisfaction, there's another question that needs to be asked – WHY.
Reasons To Know Your ‘Why’
As human beings, to grow ourselves, we need to understand what we stand for, our ‘why’. Here's why it's so important.
Your ‘Why’ Motivates You. Success takes time, dedication, and hard work. Your ‘why’ is a motivator to keep going when you face challenges.
Your ‘Why’ Keeps You Focused. Your ‘why’ orients you and keeps you on track. By staying connected with your values, you keep aligned with what’s important to you. Tap into this vision for your life when it’s time to make decisions.
Live Your Life with Passion. Knowing you're ‘why’ keeps you connected to what’s deeply important to you. You’ll live authentically and do what you feel most called to do. Your life becomes infused with energy, and you’ll produce better results.
Your ‘Why’ Is Yours Alone. Without a ‘why’, you tend to live your life for others. If you are not choosing your own path, you’ll just be following along on other people’s journeys. Or worse, you end up living the script of a life someone else wanted for you.
Your ‘Why’ Helps You Sell More. Laying out a clear ‘why’ helps you stand out in the market and sell more. You’ll cultivate loyal fans who believe in you. People connect to your business because of your core values, vision, and what your company represents.
If you don't know your 'why' in your personal life, you'll waste your energy and lifetime on things that don't even matter to you.
In business, you won't connect with your customers because you don’t stand for anything. Ultimately, you’ll run a business without purpose so let’s clarify your ‘why’.
Step 1: Clarify Your Why
The best way to discover your 'why' is to ask yourself very specific questions that are designed to reveal what's important to you. Reflect on these questions and see what you come up with.
What Do You Love Doing?
What Do You Do Well?
What Would You Fight For?
What Problem Compels You to Take Action?
Who Inspires You and Why?
Step 2: Write Your Why Statement
Now, thinking about what you just discovered with those questions, write a statement that concisely explains why you do what you do. This should be something you can look at for inspiration. Later, you can use this why statement as the basis for your business's brand vision.
Your 'why' includes your motivation for doing what you do. It may explain how you provide value for others, and what changes you're trying to make in the world, or how you do things differently than anyone else.
This statement should be clear, simple, and specific. The best 'why' statement is actionable.
Here are three examples:
"To help couples feel more connected and loving so that they find true satisfaction in their relationship and life together.”
"To constantly be growing into a better person so that I show up as my best self for myself, my family, and the people I love.”
"To ‘awaken my extraordinary’ so that I can create programs that excite and inspire women to start businesses that awaken the extraordinary in others.”
These examples are not as general as, "change the world," but they are broad enough to cover your personal and professional life. The 'why' statement should not be limited to a specific area of your life (not just work or your private life). It should cover your life as a whole.
Step 3: Put Your ‘Why’ into Action
How do you use your 'why' in your life and business? Like anything else, try it out.
Take a look at your current goals. Are they closely related to your 'why'? Now that you understand what you stand for and what you value, you may realize some previous goals no longer align. Try reworking or creating new goals that fit better with what you value.
Your 'why' also determines how you work and what activities you choose to do daily. You may find some ways you spend your time don’t serve you, or there are things you need to add to your routine. For example, if connecting with others is a key part of your 'why', implement some daily strategies to create daily connections and see how it feels.
Once you clarify your 'why' put it to use and observe the results. Our life and business are grand experiments. You can always course-correct. Enjoy the journey.
If you want to dive deep into your ‘why’ and purpose, join our free 7-day Find Your Purpose Challenge.
Kimberly Viera, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kimberly Viera is on a mission to help every woman become financially independent and gain control over her life by starting an online business. As the founder of JoinTheEveolution, she helps women build transformational coaching and wellness businesses that earn them a sustainable living within a year while giving them the time and lifestyle freedom they've been dreaming of. Stop Letting Things Happen. Start Making Them Happen. Join the Evolution.
