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Whether you are working for yourself or someone else, knowing your “WHY” will make all the difference in growing your business faster. Many questions come up when starting a business, not the least of which is how to execute a business plan from A to Z.
Your business has certain traits. You have a vision, and you know what you are getting into. So it’s essential to know why and how important it can be to your business. Asking yourself why you are doing something can be a powerful tool when trying to achieve a goal or dream. Because if you do not know why you are doing something, you will not get the results needed to grow your business, no matter how hard you work, and you might end up giving up when you feel like it’s too much. This article aims to explain why knowing your Why is so important and how powerful it can be for your business.
There are three essential reasons why you should know your why, and they are as follows:
1. If you have a Why you have a purpose
Your Why is what drives and sustains you in difficult times. It is why you choose to take risks, expose yourself and go through all the ups and downs of building a business. The purpose of your business should be clear and concise. Otherwise, you will wander and waste time.
Your purpose can be personal or professional. It can be focused on a specific goal or be more general. It can also change over time as your life evolves and your plans change.
2. It keeps you authentic
All businesses have a Why. It drives the business, inspires customers, and makes people want to buy from you. In his book, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action, Simon Sinek explains that it’s essential for entrepreneurs to understand why they offer their product or service before communicating effectively with potential customers.
You can develop better marketing campaigns and more effective advertising strategies when you know your Why. You can use your Why to speak directly to your target audience and motivate them to choose you over your competitors.
Knowing and understanding your Why will also give you a better idea of who your target market is. This information helps you create personalized content for them because you know what makes them want to buy from you.
3. This will keep you on track
Your Why is a long-term vision for your business. It’s the reason you started your business and the mission that drives all your business decisions. Also, remember that your reason for your business may change over time. That’s perfectly normal. When that happens, you should rethink your Why and adjust it.
For example, if you are starting a new business or just trying to figure out your next step, it can be challenging to decide on a direction. And the problem is that it gets even more complicated when you have no idea why you are doing what you are doing. Without a clear goal or direction, you can easily get distracted by the next shiny thing and waste valuable time on something that may not even serve your purposes.
So we have talked about your Why and what it is. But how do you find your Why? Here are the tips to figure it out.
1. Ask yourself, “What drives you?”
What motivates you? What inspires you? Where do you get your energy? Why do you do what you do? What are the results of what you do?
If you can answer these questions, it will be easier to get through the day-to-day. And if you think about what the future holds for your business, it will be much easier to grow. When things get tough, or you feel lost, it’s important to remember why you started a business in the first place.
The idea of finding your Why is so essential that it is one of the core principles of Simon Sinek’s TED talk on leadership. Sinek says, “People do not buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
Remember that your Why is not necessarily the same as your “what,” which can include things like products or services sold, your industry, or your target audience. Your Why gets you up in the morning and keeps you working late into the night. It’s a deep-rooted motivation to change the world somehow, even if it’s only for a small number of people.
Your Why is the purpose that drives your business and its growth plans. Your answer should be something that inspires and excites you, not just a means to an end. Once you find it, your answer becomes a mission statement that guides everything from product development to customer satisfaction.
2. Ask yourself, “What about your business do you love?”
Think about your business life. What is the greatest passion in your business, and what ignites that passion? Is it the product you sell, or is it the people you work with? Is it the creative process behind developing a new product line or the financial strategy of growing your business and seeing how far you can take it? Do you care about using your business to help people in need or your community? If you are stuck, consider what excites you.
Here is a tip: When you are excited, you have a sense of urgency, a rush of adrenaline and a big smile on your face. It feels good!
3. Ask yourself, “What problems do you want to solve for your customers?”
Business is about solving problems. Whether it’s a new product or service, your goal is to improve other people’s lives somehow.
When it comes to your business, your Why is about more than just making money. It goes beyond what you do and how you do it—finding your Why means truly understanding what motivates you and what role you want to play in the world. Without this knowledge, even the best businesses can become diluted over time and lose focus on their original purpose.
As a business owner, you get up every morning with one purpose: to serve the people around you. Many of us find that purpose in the form of a why.
Why do you do what you do? What drives your mission? How will your business help others and make a difference?
A compelling Why is more important than ever as we all work toward recovery from the global pandemic. When you know why you can communicate it to your audience and make an emotional connection with the people you serve.
When your audience understands the value you provide and can see a connection to their lives, they will be more willing to buy from you and recommend your company to others.
4. Follow your gut
I have mentioned before and will continue to say repeatedly, you need to know your Why.
Small business founders and owners are under a lot of pressure to make money. They have to keep employees, investors and customers happy, and it can be easy to lose sight of your Why with all the pressure.
But it’s the reason that will motivate you to push through tough times. The Why will get your team through a rough patch in morale or get them to work weekends. The Why will make your customers fall in love with your brand.
Your Why is something other than your mission. Your Why is your purpose. That purpose drives you to accomplish that mission. Your Why should be the core of your business. It’s like a compass that guides you in the right direction, even when you are lost, which is constant when you are doing things right!
Conclusion
A powerful Why can serve as the guiding force to inform every decision you make and help your customers connect emotionally with your brand. Everyone has a different way, and there is no wrong answer. For some, it’s about making money; for others, it’s about helping small and medium-sized businesses, while for others it’s simply about following their passion or inspiring others. If you want more help figuring out your Why, let’s connect.
