Why finding your WHY is more important than ever
Because for doers and leaders of all kinds: personal is professional
In her article In You Must Go: Harnessing the Force By Owning Our Stories, Brené Brown opens with an incredible bit of perspective we can all live by. She writes:
One of the truisms of wholehearted living is you either walk into your story and own your truth, or you live outside of your story, hustling for your worthiness.
The key here is owning our stories. Acknowledging every ounce – dealing with the hard parts (not just dominating them or pushing them aside). Because that’s the way we meaningfully connect with ourselves and others and build a foundation for growth.
Your WHY is the purpose that drives you, popularized by Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why (which should be required reading for any leader). As Simon says throughout: “People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.” At BREAKTHRU, that’s where we begin to guide leaders to the purpose that drives an authentic brand strategy that magnifies impact.
Owning the story that brings life, meaning, and color to what you produce to put out in the world is both personal and professional. As a professional and personal branding agency, that vital space is why BREAKTHRU exists.
How will you find your WHY?:
Start now. Start small – with these 5 tips.
The inspiration to keep going comes when you’re already moving. Like tricking yourself to work-out by promising you’ll “just do 10 minutes”. Promising yourself just a few minutes stokes the fire more than doomscrolling instagram ever could. Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*CK calls it the “motivation chain”. Action breeds inspiration – you’ve got to get started first. You can do it.
1. Ask yourself some questions
When working with a client to identify their why, we ask a series of questions about their past, present, and future that inform who they are and who they want to be. We turned them into a 52-card deck, but here are some of our favorites:
- The one change I want to see in the world is _______________.
- I think others view me as _______________, and I wish they would describe me as _______________.
- I do what I do every day because _______________.
2. Ask your friends one question
“Why are you my friend?” Simon Sinek’s friend exercise is a simple way to get the wheels turning – because what they value in you as a friend is undoubtedly an aspect of your WHY.
3. Think about your values
What do you believe that guides what you do and the way you move about the world?
4. Do a brand audit (or we can do one for you)
Now that you’ve done some exploration, do a digital round-up.
- Social media: If you knew exactly what you wanted to say, which channels might you realistically update? What do you already have out there? Consider LinkedIn, Medium, Facebook, and Twitter for a start. Though many of us have a love-hate relationship with the various social media platforms, they can be great places to share your ideas, increase your visibility, and enhance your network.
- Set up some safeguards: Turn on alerts for your name. It’s very easy to use Google to set up an alert for when specific topics – like your name – appear online for the first time.
- Consider what’s next: If you had a personal website, book, or podcast, what would you have to say?
5. Remember there’s no one way
Finding your WHY is a journey, not a destination. The more self-reflection and work you put into it, the more meaningful the outcome will be.
