After recently having a conversation with a business colleague who would like me to present to her team, I have been thinking a lot about my compelling reason WHY and how it helps me as I move forward in my career path and business.
Knowing this also helps me in identifying what is important to me in my career and business.
There are many different components that go into creating a fulfilling career and up until I began my coaching path, I really hadn’t identified what they were. I had spent many years just changing my job when I wanted, because it seemed like a good idea or I felt like doing something different and the hours and pay suited me. I never really took the time to stand back and look at what it is that I really wanted to do.
When my kids grew up and I was no longer needed as a full on mum, I reached that time in my life where I felt I no longer had a purpose, something to really give me that spark to jump out of bed in the morning because I couldn’t wait to get to work. It was then I decided to really think about what it was that I wanted to do.
And there began my journey as a coach and more recently the added role of career coach.
Coaching gives me the opportunity to connect with others on a very deep level, to build relationships with them so I can share their journey to transformation. It gives me a sense of fulfillment, knowing I am contributing to their lives.
My career gives me connection with many others in networking, in sharing with groups in workshops and watching people develop that understanding of themselves more. It utilizes my natural talents with people, my strengths, my interests and what I am passionate about.
How does this contribute to my WHY?
It gives me connection, fulfillment, joy and a sense of freedom. Freedom in my ability to live the lifestyle I want, the hours I choose and spend time connecting with family and loved ones.
When you know your WHY your HOW tends to take care of itself. What I mean by this is that you will find the courage to do what it is that you need to do and develop the skills, the motivation, the persistence and the confidence to achieve what you want.
So, what is your WHY and how does this relate to your career or business?
Your ‘WHY’ is the compelling reason why you want to do something. What will it give you in the big picture?
If you want to change your career for example- For what purpose?
What will changing your career give you?
So, what steps do you need to take to create this for yourself? When you want to create any kind of change for yourself, it helps to ask yourself really resourceful questions:
* What are your core values?
* What are your passions and interests?
* What are your natural talents, your skills and strengths?
* What qualities and attributes can you offer?
* What have you specifically enjoyed in different jobs up until now?
These are just a few of the many different questions you need to ask yourself.
We all want to feel fulfillment in the workplace. We spend so much time there it is important to feel happy and know that what we are doing is serving a purpose.
It is important to be well matched with what you do. When you are doing something that is in line with your values, your passions, your interests, something that utilizes your natural talents, your skills, strengths, your qualities and attributes and it offers potential for learning and growth, you will be jumping out of bed with enthusiasm in the morning and going home in the evening feeling happy and fulfilled.
How will this contribute to the bigger picture?
When your needs and values are fulfilled in this resourceful way your emotional state is uplifted, you will have more energy for other areas of your life, your relationships and your home life. The income may help you achieve the lifestyle you want or the hours may give you the time to spend time with loved ones and do other things that interest you outside of work. It may give you the income to travel to exotic places or buy that dream property or your perfect car. It is different things for different people.
So ask yourself –
* How will achieving this in my career or business contribute to that vision for myself and my
life?
* What will that give me?
Another thing you could do is work with a career coach.
Working with a career coach can help you identify what is important to you in your life and career and what you value.
A coach can help you dig for gold and find those answers that are in your unconscious, things that you are not consciously aware of that may have been getting between you and what you really want. A coach will help you identify your compelling reason WHY and see it with clarity.
When you see your big picture and know your compelling reason WHY, it means that you will be able to push through any obstacles when they occur; those internal road blocks that can be part of working towards what you want or the obstacles that are present in everyday life. It helps you keep moving forward when you get presented with the hard yards.
Because, when you see that vision with clarity you will find the courage to move through any fears you have and develop the motivation and persistence you will need to jump over those hurdles and push through those road blocks so you can keep moving forward.
So, think about it for a moment – If you could do anything at all what would it be? And – What is your compelling reason WHY?
Deb Johnstone Personal, Professional and Career Coach