What is your why? This is a question that is kicking around a lot on the internet thanks to Simon Sinek. I'm seeing loads of small business owners and entrepreneurs talking about this topic.
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They're getting clearer about why they started and continued to work in their own businesses. I think it is wonderful that this question is so popular and that people are reaching within to think about their core purpose when it comes to business ownership. This is a question I like to explore with my coaching clients. That's right - you don't need to own a business to have a "why"!
Throughout my career, I've done a lot of work with individuals and companies about defining their purpose. You might be thinking that sounds strange. After all, most business' purpose would be to make money. Right?
Well, actually that is not so. This question and its answers actually run a lot deeper than that. To illustrate this, I am going deeper too. In this post, not only will I talk about how to discover your purpose. But I am providing some insight into mine - both for me personally and for Pop Your Career!
"What is your why?" um... what does that even mean?
Put simply, your why is your purpose. It's your reason for being. It's the reason you get out of bed in the morning. It is personal to you and will generally follow the same theme throughout your life, though may change with big life events. We are talking about your intrinsic motivator - the thing that drives you. When you ask someone the question, "what is your why?", you're getting a sense of their identity.
How do I discover my "why"?
As you have been reading , you may have started to think about your why. You may even have some ideas. To make this really worthwhile, you'll need to dig down and define your purpose. There are a few questions you can ask yourself to stir up your feelings and beliefs on this topic.
You will find some of these questions in my new workbook, How to Define Your Purpose, Vision and Values (Then Use Them to Craft Your Perfect Career), which I am giving away free to my email subscribers. Click the image below to sign up and get immediate access to this workbook!
I have my purpose statement, but what now?
Once you have defined your purpose, it's important that you don't just put it to the side and forget about it. Now that you are clear on your answer to the question, "what is your why?", you need to make sure that you are fulfilling it! As I mentioned, your purpose is intrinsic. It is essential and belongs naturally within you. By maximising this, particularly in your career space, you will find greater fulfilment.
Keep in mind that when I talk about "maximising your purpose in your career", this doesn't necessarily mean that your job has to directly link to your purpose. It could be that your employment in general allows you to live your purpose. For example, if your core purpose is to provide for your family, perhaps you need a well paying job that also allows you the flexibility to spend time with your family. If your purpose is to bring joy and laughter to the world, you don't necessarily need to work as a clown. If your purpose is to care for others that doesn't mean you have to be a nurse or doctor.
"so bec... what is your why?"
While we're going deep, I figured I would take the opportunity to tell you a little about myself and my purpose. If you have been reading my blog for a while, or you receive my weekly newsletter, The Hump Day Digest, you may have learned a few things about me. Perhaps you might have an inkling about who I am and what I am doing here. But here it is in a nutshell.
My name is Bec and I am a thirty-something-year-old chicky-babe from Canberra, Australia. I have a husband that I adore and live super close to my parents who I count as two of my best friends. I'm a hard-core introvert and I'm hugely loyal, sometimes to a fault. I love animals, particularly my dog, Jasper. And my two bearded dragons, Skittles and Lucky Lemon. My Myers Briggs profile is INFJ and my DISC profile is S (with C as my secondary preference). My purpose is to help others do better and be better. I do this through helping them understand their strengths and embrace opportunities for development.
Wow. What a lovely, selfless person I must be, right?
Like a saint, I tell you that the reason I am here on earth is to be of service to others.
Before I continue, I want to make it really clear that I am being supremely sarcastic. Yes, my purpose is about helping others. But I do it because it makes ME feel good. So, I'm not expecting any fanfare. The other thing about my purpose is that I recognise that helping others is a great strength of mine and can be used to obtain other rewards. In simple, black and white terms, I can fulfil my purpose and in fact use my purpose to further my career and make money! Just because helping people is my purpose, it doesn't mean I have to do it for free.
Why am I telling you this? Well, I want you to know that your purpose is not about being selfless. Or putting your own needs below those of other people. You can use your purpose to your advantage. This is a natural driver for you that can motivate you to achieve your goals.
Just because helping people is my purpose, it doesn't mean I have to do it for free!
The Pop Your Career purpose
So what about Pop Your Career? Well, it should come as no surprise to you, that the purpose behind Pop Your Career is:
To help my clients identify, secure and fall in love with their dream careers, in a way that is practical, innovative and loads of fun.
I see Pop Your Career as a way for me to connect with people on a larger scale. It is a vehicle for me to spread my message and make a greater impact. You have probably heard my taglines. "Get the freshest career advice, that won't bore your socks off!". Or, "You know it's time to quit playing small with your career. I'm just here to show you the way."
My New WORKbook
One of the ways that I know I can fulfil my why at Pop Your Career is to teach my audience (that's you!) how to define your own purpose. I can help you answer the question, "What is your why?".
Your purpose also links to your vision. This is your long-term stretch goal. Then there's your values, which are the rules you live by. Once you have gone through the process of defining your purpose, vision and values, you can use these. Not only to craft a career you love, but also a life you love. That is a pretty big statement, but I stand by it 100%.
In my new workbook, How to Define Your Purpose, Vision and Values (Then Use Them to Craft Your Perfect Career!), I provide you with the exact step by step instructions you need to reach deep inside and define your own purpose, vision and values.
This method has been tested and it really works!
When I started writing How to Define Your Purpose, Vision and Values (Then Use Them to Craft Your Perfect Career!), I had planned for it to be a paid product. But my own coach's words rang true as she convinced me to give it away. (Did anyone else just here Oprah's voice in their head? "You get a copy, you get a copy, everybody gets a copy!"). After all, if you are a person who is interested in improving your career through defining your core purpose, vision and values, then it is YOU that Pop Your Career was created for.
Click here to sign up to my newsletter and get your free copy of How to Define Your Purpose, Vision and Values (Then Use Them to Craft Your Perfect Career!). I hope that you enjoy the process and that you find this a valuable resource.
