In this article, I will share with you why it’s important to “know your why” to have success in business and life.

Know your WHY

I was 13 years old when I decided to move to London.

I grew up in a small town in Austria, where everyone knew each other and knew everything about each other. It was very suffocating.

When I visited London as a teenager, I fell in love with the city and the freedom that it offered, compared to my hometown. This experience set me on a mission to move to London as soon as I could.

Throughout the following five years, London was my North Star. I was counting the days until my 18th birthday…when I was free to leave, free to express myself, free to be anyone I wanted to be and free to make my youthful mistakes while enjoying anonymity.

It was powerful for me to focus on my future move to London throughout this time. It gave me purpose.

And living with purpose is powerful.

Purpose gives our life meaning, and meaning is something that we all search for.

When we know why we are doing something, what we do has power and energy behind it. It’s fulfilling and satisfying.

Having a purpose gives us a direction. Instead of walking aimlessly through life, unaware, perhaps stumbling through it, we know where we are going.

We might make detours or choose to take the scenic route, but – we know which direction we are headed.

Knowing your WHY provides clarity in your life.

Knowing your why is important for a few reasons. First, it gives you a sense of purpose. Knowing why you’re doing something can help you stay motivated and inspired, even when things are tough. It can also help you make better decisions because you’re clear on what your goals are.

Second, understanding your why can help you build a better business. If you know why you’re in business, it’s easier to build a company that aligns with your values and that serves a higher purpose. This type of business is more likely to be successful and sustainable in the long term.

Lastly, knowing your why can help you create a life that you love. When you know what you want out of life, it’s easier to make choices that will lead you in the right direction. You’re also more likely to be happy and fulfilled because you’re living in alignment with your values.

Purpose is a powerful driving force.

It gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It pulls us forward. Inspires us. Energises us.

Having a purpose is rocket fuel for your business. It propels you forward – powerful like nothing else. You are unstoppable.

So what is your WHY?

What’s your business mission? Why are you doing what you are doing?

If you don’t have a clear purpose, you might get pulled in different directions and by doing so, you disperse your energy. Instead of giving energy, time and attention to one thing (your purpose), you are spreading yourself too thinly. Things grow, but not abundantly.

When you don’t have a purpose or direction that guides your decisions, it’s easy to get swept up by others – by their projects, businesses and ideas. If that sounds like you, then you’re probably used to playing a supporting role but not the role of the main actor.

Unclear about where you want to take your business and your career – you explore various options and waste your time with endeavours with are clearly not you. This probably has left you confused and caused you to begin to doubt yourself and lose confidence in your work.

How to find your WHY

If you’re not sure what your why is, it’s never too late to figure it out. Start by asking yourself some tough questions, such as:

• What do I want to achieve in life?
• What kind of impact do I want to make?
• What are my core values?

Answering these questions can help you get clarity on what’s important to you. From there, you can start making decisions that will help you achieve your goals and live a life that you love.

Now imagine you find your WHY

Imagine you find your true business mission. A business mission that is an authentic expression of who you are, a business that delivers value, a business that is a true expression of your gifts, a business and career that you love.

Now you have found the guiding light of your business or what I like to call your Business North Star.

Your Business North Star is the guiding star for your business.

It’s the compass for your business, informed by your personal purpose.

It’s there to guide your way, keep you on track and show you where you need to go and what choices to make. You’ll know what’s aligned with your business and you – and what is not.