Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals -Sydney Smith

What Is Your “Why”?

 

There is a big focus on “knowing your why” within entrepreneurial and marketing circles, and especially so within network marketing circles. So what is your “why”? Your “why” is the reason you have decided to create income using methods such as online marketing, instead of, or as well as, doing a 9 - 5 job.

If you have signed up with any of the online marketing companies available, or even just had a look at the lead capture pages of any of these companies you will recall the pictures of people on holiday on a desert island, the pictures of large cheques, expensive cars and big houses. The presenter will have spoken about how much time he is able to spend with his children, and how he took up an expensive hobby he could not afford earlier in his life. They would also have suggested that you could do the same and fulfill your dreams. In other words they encouraged you to think about your dreams and goals, and your decision to start online marketing were influenced by your desire to achieve those dreams.

Your “why” is the goals you intend to achieve through online marketing and can include income, free time, more control over your life, new skills, meeting new people, travel, a chance to contribute to the world and anything else that is unique to you.

How Do You Write Your “Why”?

Writing your “why” is your opportunity to take those dreams and goals you have previously thought or verbalized and writing them down. You need to make this “why” particular to you, and should not be a statement that 1000 other people could also repeat. “Because I can earn lots of money, and go on paid holidays” is too broad and anybody could say it.

To compose your “why” you need to write the goals you want to achieve as a result of online marketing in XYZ company, why you have that particular goal, and what you will gain from it. Include why you have chosen this method of achieving this goal. Think about what it was about the business or company that made you choose it in the beginning. What was it that appealed to you?

When you write your list of “why”, have a look at it and see if it makes you emotional, and that you feel strongly about what you are wanting to achieve. You need to pick the details out and write a list of goals and dreams that create a sense of satisfaction that you are on the path to achieving them. Money, or time, or freedom from the daily grind of work will quite possibly be your starting point. These are NOT your “why”. These are your resources to achieve your “why”.

Examples of “Why do I want lots of money?” are ...My big bank account will allow me to take Mum away on a world tour. An example of “Why did I choose XYZ company” are...Meeting targets through XYZ will help me to go on stimulating holidays that are luxury, paid for, organized, and allow me to meet up with like-minded people and learn new ideas and skills, and get more motivation to continue.

How Will My “Why” Help Me.

If you have properly identified your “whys” you will have a list of goals and dreams that give you an emotional response which will give you the drive or passion to succeed. These goals will include a drive to gain or “move toward” something, but they may also include something to avoid or “move away from”. An example of this is “I do not want my children to live in poverty as I did when I grew up” Another way of describing these is avoiding pain or gaining pleasure. I personally think that it would not be a good idea to have only “away from” type goals such as avoid poverty, avoid 9-5 work, avoid debt collectors, or keeping up with medical costs as it would suggest that you still do not believe you can make a positive difference in your life, or that you do not have a dream for yourself.

Look at your goals and see if they are designed simply for your gain, or do they include other's gain, or your contribution. How can you contribute? I believe we have all been given talents, and gain skills that enable us to contribute. We have also been given weaknesses that require us to need to rely to a degree on others. By working together we can create so much more than if each individual uses their own talents and makes do in areas they are not so able. Is there a way that your company encourages you to work together to achieve better results? Are there ways that you can tap into the talents of others, and share your talents as a means of achieving goals?

Another reason for contributing is the sense of fulfilment we gain if we are using our talents and meeting a need, or providing a service to society. The positive feelings and sense of satisfaction we feel when we perform at our best and have a purpose provides the positive energy to move forward, achieve more, and set even higher goals that we could not previously have even imagined was possible for ourselves. Having a bad day when you have a purpose, must be better than having a “lucky” good day with no purpose.

Having goals and purpose play another important role in your growth. They provide direction in gaining further skills, deciding what activities to carry out, and to measure whether your actions will achieve what you are aiming for. Knowing your “why” helps you to decide what you need to do as you will come to crossroads at times on your journey. Your “why” should play an important part in deciding what to do next.

It is also very important that you use your “why” as your motivator when things get difficult. Like everything good in life you will encounter challenges and down days. People will challenge you, you might not reach a goal by the date you set, several people will cancel their automatic orders, or the whole world will have a bad week, as we have seen recently. It would be naïve to think that it will be smooth sailing all the way. You will be learning new skills, and will have to face some limiting beliefs you did not know you had. You will wonder if it is all worth perfecting that new skill, especially when you do not enjoy that aspect of the business, and at times will think about throwing it all in. Just like you have as a parent on chicken pox and colic week. That is the time when you pick up your written copy of your “why” and remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing. By reading through your “why” you can refocus, and find the motivation and courage to address the challenge that you are facing, get a solution and get back on track.

Write your “why” and share your discoveries with us.

Have a wonderful day.