What's your why?
This is a tricky one.. What's your WHY?
Why do you do what you do? Why are you passionate about it?
I think your why is more important than your what. What you do can be anything! But your why you do it is more intrinsically about what makes you tick. It's the what gets you up in the morning. For some people it's simply the money, but for a lot of folks, it is something deeper than that.
If you are one of the people who is unsatisfied at work, is it because you're not feeling fulfilled? Understanding your why will lead you to more meaningful work, which in turn should make you more successful, happier and will probably enable you to earn more money.
At my core, I love to make people happy. I do this professionally by giving people personal wins, and these personal wins lead to business wins. This happens by me providing a solution to a problem, or by them taking what I've shared with them to make more informed decisions.
I thought I 'just' loved to work in sales, but I know that it's deeper than that for me. I am definitely driven closing deals and by the goal of company growth, but it's the making my customer happy that drives me. If they're happy then the sales will come, etc.
How do you find your why?
Review the three sections below and write notes as you go. You will then want to join them up to see if there are any commonalities that lead you in one direction or another.
Satisfactors
Start by thinking what you find really satisfying. What makes you the most happy? It can be things you've done in both your professional and personal lives, as your why is likely expressed in both environments.
Personal Drivers
What values are important to you? Do you thrive on being socially responsible, or are you driven by revenue and profit? There are no right or wrong values (relatively speaking). Chose what works for you. Google some and see which fit with you.
Value Added Being
What value do you add to your personal and professional relationships? What do you bring that others do not? Do you have years of experience in one area? Are you a social media expert, or Node developer? List down where you think your true skills lie.
Now you can join up the three areas to see where the pieces fall.
For me, my why is selling something useful, that makes an individual person win. I like the fact that this person and their company gains from our interaction. These clients will come back for more as they now you're not out for a quick buck.
Important note! I am sure I have been on a workshop about this subject, but for the life of me cannot remember. If I could credit them, I certainly would! Was it Cameron Herald? Whatever the case, check him out!
Please share this article! I would also like to hear for you with your comments or if you have any questions.
Cheers,
Duncan.