In business we call a reason a Mission Statement or a Vision Statement. In life we call it, “Your why”. This is a crucial part of the existence of you personally and your business as an entity. When you wake up in the morning, this is the thing that motivates you to put your shoes on and get to working. This is the most powerful piece of your existence on this planet and can decide whether you reach greatness in your own eyes or not. If you don’t know you why or reason for living, Simon Sinek has a great book called “Find Your Why”.
Your reason for being and growing your business is powerful because it is what you call upon during the harder times. We have all heard the statement, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. Well, that’s true until you have to file the tax paperwork for doing what you love or write up a staff member for not doing what you love correctly. The fact is that some days are going to pass like a kidney stone and you need a reason to get past those days and keep going. Your why is that reason.
When I was 15 years old, my face was crushed. I was jumped in an act of gang violence and sucker punched in the face with a lead glove. I underwent facial reconstruction surgery, could no longer play full contact sports and went through an entire shift in my life that no 15 year old should have to go through. I look back on that day as the best day of my life. That day has become my why.
When we survive trauma and take a good look at what the benefits of that day are, we end up with a super power that others don’t get. That day I learned that life is fleeting and can end at every moment. This gave me the ability to make decisions that others struggle with because I know that I may not get another chance to make that decision. I also learned that humans are very resilient. I have the ability to overcome nearly anything now because of the memory of that day.
Your why can be the most powerful thing in your business arsenal. When I look at myself in the mirror at the end of a bad day, I say “You’re doing just fine. Your face wasn’t crushed today and you’ll make it just fine. Just keep going”. You can do the same things with your love for family, the birth of a newborn, the passion for growth. Your why WILL be the comfort in hard times and will drive you to greatness if you let it. Embrace who you are and why you are here and go get that dream.