What Is Your Why?
Did you know that your “ why ” will give you the rest?
Whatever you do in life (if it voluntarily), it typically starts with a passion and motivation to achieve something. It could be everything from creating a product to starting a relationship with somebody.
Our brain has two parts influencing when taking a decision, the emotional part and the rational part. As emotions always drive passion and motivation, it is quite common that the emotional part of the brain also dominates when you take the decision.
The very first moment when you fall in love with somebody it’s 100% emotional and not until later when the first abundant emotion has leveraged with the rational part, a long-term relationship actually can start in a serious way.
The same goes for product inventions. There are thousands of inventions made that never were launched, or that failed tremendously because there was no need or demand for the product. One of the weirdest ones I know of in modern times is the Motorola cellphone with a built-in electric razor.
Probably the inventor was very passionate about his or her creation, but who else cares? It could even happen that there is a market for combined cellphones with razors, but to know for sure, the “ why ” must be clearly defined. And the “why” will not answer the question if there is a market or not for the product.
The “ why ” will announce the values of the product or the company. In my early career, starting up as a salesman of vacuum cleaners sold door to door, we never sold vacuum cleaners but clean and healthy homes. That’s the reason a live demonstration in the customer's home always was the winning strategy.
When a sufficient number of dust piles were loaded on the carpet of the client, it was no longer a product discussion, but a health issue and most of the customers prioritized their family’s health much higher than a simple vacuum cleaner.
The famous consultant and author Simon Sinek explains in a beautiful way the power of identifying your “ why ”. View one of his sessions on this YouTube video. He his talking about the “Golden Circle”, starting with “What” in the outer circle, continuing with “How” in the next layer and finishing with “ Why ” in the middle.
Transforming this formula to a company, the “What” represents the strategy, what the company is doing. The “How” describes the tactics, how the company is doing what they are doing.
And finally, the “Why” has not even a name, because everyone so often forgets it. Well, making a profit may somebody say, but that is the result and not a substantial purpose.
The “ why ” is the purpose for what you are doing!
It can be everything from a strong culture in the company to the purpose of the product that is sold. The values an organization can deliver, produce almost a magic trust among the potential consumers. When Apple launched their very first iPhone, their success was already guaranteed before the launch.
The main players, Nokia, Motorola, Sony-Ericsson and some others were fighting hard in the market to gain market shares based on many years in the market, and suddenly Apple as a newcomer in the segment literally sweeps the market. Why? The trust in the brand.
To have a purpose beyond profits and personal benefits is the key to any success in life. If you have a precise definition of your “ why ”, the rest will be much easier, the “how” and the “what” will fall into the game almost on autopilot.
Doing business online is a splendid example of the importance to define the “why” clearly before even get started. All the scams and false “get rich quick” schemes out in the market do not inspire any trust. It is the opposite, and they will make you skeptical and defensive.
My personal “ why ” to quit the corporate life and to start up as an independent entrepreneur at the age of 62, had a very particular purpose: Freedom and a lifestyle allowing me to be more with my family, traveling and dedicate more time to my passion as a marathon runner.
Of course, the money will be needed to do all this, but it will come as a result of a well-executed work with my business. The purpose for the general public listening to me is my real “ why ”: Providing experience and knowledge to allow other people who might identify themselves with my story, and to help them to achieve their goals.
The whole process must be built on trust. If you can see yourself in a situation similar to mine, click on the link below and download absolutely for free Stuart Ross’ e-book about list building. List building is the most important ingredient in a successful online business, no matter what product or service you would like to market online. It’s your audience, your followers and lifestream for success.
The trust built up over time with your subscribers is your “why” in your business model.
Stuart Ross is the co-founder of the Six Figure Mentors, who brought me into this business, and it would never happen without the trust they built up with me. With the “why” in place you know what to do and how to do it.
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