Know Your Mission
/Clarifying the "Why" in What You Do
Life Coaches will tell you one of the most powerful questions in the world is “why?” From the “why” comes an emotional response that can help a person go from frustrated and fatigued, to productive and focused.
Your “why” is your mission.
Corporations pay thousands of dollars to have consulting firms help them generate a mission. Companies thrive on mission statements; why wouldn’t you? Luckily, knowing why you want to achieve something is free for most individuals; it’s just a matter of being intentional.
An undefined mission prevents us from achieving our goals well. It’s one thing to accomplish something, it’s another thing to enjoy the process that brought you to that accomplishment. That’s where the real gratification takes place.
Most people though, are focusing so much on the end game, that they find themselves unable to get their head clear enough to know what to do next. It’s really difficult to achieve your goal without asking yourself why you want to get there. Getting back to the root of why you started on your path is what will help you enjoy the ride.
Let's look at a case study: I have a client named Ms. Amazing (name protected for anonymity's sake). Ms. Amazing is a business owner who sells women's clothing. When I asked her what her "why" is she said, "to encourage women." She stated that she desires not to have a business that is only about sales, but that fosters genuine relationships with her customers. I spoke with her today and she mentioned that she had some great success this week reaching out to a new customer, and that quickly, a great bond was formed. She said the conversation centered around her "why," and that if she had focused on the upcoming sale of fancy pants, the meeting would not have been nearly as fulfilling. Ms. Amazing's "why" was the motivation behind her courage to reach out, and her ability to connect on a human level with her customer.
Why are you wanting to graduate from your nursing program?
Why are you deciding to be a vegan?
Why are you committing to bringing your wife flowers every Friday?
Only you can answer your why, but how powerful it will be when you do. Your “why” is your mission, and your mission will not only lead you to your vision, but it will refocus you along the way.
Will you lose sight of your mission? Absolutely. That’s okay. This is why we have to practice the art of revisiting our “why” throughout the course of our endeavors.
Next time you get “stuck,” ask yourself one simple, yet profound question “why am I doing this?”
Even if this gives you momentary clarity that helps you move forward a little bit, you are still more likely to achieve your goal than you were before you reminded yourself of your mission.
A clear mission and attainable actions step are going to be your keys to success.
Are you feeling stuck? It’s okay, you’re not alone! If you’re in need of someone to help you clarify, or revisit your mission, life coaching would be for you. Contact me and we will talk about how to set up a plan to help you get where you want to be.