It can be said that only when you know your ‘WHY’, will you find the courage to take the risks needed to get ahead in life/business and stay motivated. When things are going pear-shaped in your life and business, knowing your WHY can help refocus you back onto a positive trajectory.
This is the power of purpose. When you have a purpose, an outcome or goal, you have a clear direction and it’s much easier to focus on moving forward and taking daily action. When you have direction, you can identify the steps and actions you need to achieve your outcome.
This is powerful when it comes to establishing your own business as it saves not only hours of angst on getting the fundamentals right, but also saves on expensive marketing and promotional strategies.
Spend some time to consider and answer the following questions:
- What is it about good health, nutrition and wellness that excites you?
- Why did you enrol in your Functional Nutrition Academy course?
- Why do you want to become a ‘change agent’ for people’s health and vitality?
- What inspires you about the potential of owning your own business?
- What makes you come alive?
- What are your innate strengths, where natural talent & skill meets personal passion?
- How will you measure your life?
- Where do you add the greatest value?
Simon Sinek author of the New York Times Bestseller ‘Start With WHY’ and inspiring TEDx talk quotes, ‘It doesn’t matter what you do, it matters WHY you do it’.
For some people, their WHY burns red hot and they spend every waking moment thinking about it. They are genuinely eager to share their message! For other people it’s not so clear. your WHY, doesn’t need to be noble or grand; it just needs to be genuine.
Knowing your WHY not only allows you to gain clarity around your business goals, but in times of uncertainty or when you’re faced with a challenge, you can revisit your purpose/WHY and draw strength from it. This will keep you inspired and motivated to navigate past the challenge.
It is a simple tool that many successful businesses keep referring to.
- What do you REALLY want? If you don’t know why you are doing something, why would you choose to continue doing it?
- Why do you get up and go to work every day?
- What is it you really want out of life?
- Do you want to work for yourself – work your own hours, with unlimited potential?
There are many reasons why people become business owners, but the three top reasons are; personal satisfaction, creative independence and financial autonomy. At the end of the day, these three reasons offer more freedom.
Freedom can come in many forms and for the health and wellness industry, becoming a Health Mentor is also about the freedom of not having to conform and being able to tailor your business to what you believe in.
Not every passion is a potential business, but every business can find something to be passionate about. For some, it might be better work/life balance, being able to set targets and standards. And while the freedom of not having anyone standing in your way can be invigorating, the stress of knowing there is no one else to blame for any failures, can be tough for some people. This is when knowing your WHY becomes crucial.
Your customers won’t buy your product or service; they buy why you do what you do. If your audience knows that you love what you do, that you believe in your message, not only will they be more confident that you’ve got all the answers; they’ll want to support your enthusiasm by giving you their business.
The quickest way to instil trust is to communicate your WHY, it is the reason you do what you do.
Incorporate your WHY into every facet of business promotion as it explains the value in what you are promoting. It goes beyond what you are selling and connects with your clients on an emotional level. Successful small businesses often have their WHY in the following areas;
- In your business tagline
- In all forms of business marketing; from print to word of mouth
- Email signature
- Website, Blog and Social Media platforms
Many business owners find themselves chasing the dollar, resenting their work or feeling uninspired, as some of them either have forgotten or haven’t even found their WHY in the first place.
Knowing your WHY is important for many reason.
- Allows you to easily make the right decisions for your business.
- It streamlines your marketing messages.
- It enables you to easily identify your ideal client and target market.
- It reminds you why you are in business on those tough days.
In an overcrowded and competitive marketing place, knowing and communicating your WHY is one of the most powerful marketing tools a small business can have. It explains the core belief behind the business, why the business exists and why it was started in the first place. It can also help you determine the core values of your business and find marketing partnerships, programs or affiliates who share your same belief and ambition
Jodie Nolan MBA (Applied Finance)
Economist, Financial Adviser & SME Coach
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