Before finding your why, building a business is just work… But once you find your WHY, the work has purpose.
Around here, we talk a lot about finding freedom.
For some people, freedom is their why. They just want to be free of many different things… their job, their boss, their time deficit, their financial restrictions.
But for most people, finding freedom is just the beginning.
If you became a real estate investor to find freedom, what is it you want to be free from?
If you can’t answer that question right away, you haven’t found your why… Yet.
Once you figure out your why, your whole life changes. You wake up ready to make the most of your day. You go to bed knowing you got one step closer. In between, you work with passion because you know the work matters.
Here’s what a recent Forbes article had to say about finding your why:
A clear sense of purpose enables you to focus your efforts on what matters most, compelling you to take risks and push forward regardless of the obstacles.
How would your business change if you had more focus and were willing to take more risks? It’s exponential how finding your why can change your life, your business, and the lives and businesses of the people around you.
But there is a why deficit. Most people are working without a sense of purpose. They’re working to build wealth, but they don’t know why they want it.
So how do you find your why?
There isn’t really a formula to follow, but there are questions to ask yourself:
1. What inspires you?
Think about the times in your life when you felt most ready to take on the world. How did you get to that point? How can you take what inspired you then and make it a rhythm in your life? What do you need to do that? This question is about keeping your tank full. How are you taking care of your social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, physical, and mental health each day? Once you have a plan in place to keep yourself healthy, you’ll have more space to chase inspiration.
2. What are you good at?
Have you seen the Venn Diagram for finding your passion? It’s three overlapping circles of “what you love,” “what pays well,” and “what you’re good at.” You have to find a why that encompasses all three. If you’re working at something you’re good at, but you don’t love it, or it’s not paying the bills, it’s time to find a new passion.
3. Who needs you?
For most people, your why is going to have something to do with your who. If you have a family of your own, someone who depends on you, or a community you’re passionate about, these people are going to be at the heart of your why. Working for yourself will only get you so far. Giving gives us purpose. Think about the future you want to create for the people you care about. When you want to quit, those faces are going to make you lean in.
4. How will you leave the world?
This is another way to fuel your fire… And find your why. Your work has impact. What kind of impact will it have? You want to leave a legacy. It could be generational—building a business that your children’s children will benefit from. Or, it could be local—setting up spaces in the community where the next generation can play and grow. Even if you’re just getting started, you have time to give. Think about how you want to leave the world, then, work it into your why.
Have you found your why? Help inspire others by sharing what it is and how you found it in the comments section below!
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