Why Do You Do What You Do?
Those toddlers have it right. The ones that ask you a question and when you answer, they say “why”? And so you tell them why. And they ask again: “Why”? And you answer again. And the pattern continues until… what happens? You get frustrated and try to distract them to change the subject. Ever wonder why? (sorry). Because you don’t know the answer, that’s why. But maybe you should.
Start With Why
The question, and more importantly the answer, become essential when applied to issues bigger than toddler’s inquiries. Why do you do the things you do – specifically in your career or business? In fact, I think it’s essential to ask “why” before you figure out “what” or “how”. There are formulas for figuring out what to do and how to do it. Follow the formulas and apply a decent amount of hard work and dedication and you’ll succeed at the “what” by using the “how”.
But there’s no formula for why you do it – that has to come from you. And without it, you won’t have that desire needed to succeed. No one can answer this for you – not a business book or website, and of course not this blog post. You have to figure it out yourself.
All of this applies to your business and website too, of course. That’s why you’re reading this on the website of a Digital Marketing Agency. Because it’s the first thing we try to determine before we set out to build a website. We want to know WHY you are in the business you’re in – both from a personal standpoint and a company “mission” standpoint. What drives YOU to get out of bed and do the things you do every day – and if there’s nothing driving you – what’s it going to take?
There are formulas for figuring out what to do and how to do it… but there’s no formula for why you do it – that has to come from you.
I highly recommend the book Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. In fact, if you’re our client and you buy it and don’t like it – I’ll buy it back from you. That’s how strongly I believe in this book.
This book inspired me to make changes to the process we use to start a new website project. Our process now begins with a series of questions to try to determine WHY you do what you do and where things need to go to help you achieve your “why”- (for you and/or your business).
Read the book and let me know your thoughts. And if you’re looking to have us build a new website, be ready to let us know your “why”.
We’ll even try to help you put it into words.