Do you feel like everyone talks about finding your “why” or that you have to figure out your purpose and in all honesty it feels like you don’t know, and it’s sort of stressful to not be clear on that?
I knew, it could't just be me.
See, for me it has just in recent years become clear.
And I want you to know, whoever has their why and/or passion clear, at one point didn’t.
It’s part of the process. The fact that you are hearing the conversation means you are starting to open up to it or maybe you are open but, still not really sure what it is or why you need it.
I, for example, went the back-way around it. When I started my business, I didn’t know you could work doing something you loved, actually enjoy your work, and get paid for it. My business was a side gig and I definitely did not have a “why.”
Design, was and is one of my big passions, there is just something about putting things in the “right” place to create a certain feeling, it’s pure heaven to me, it makes me excited and gives me peace all at once.
So, there I was with a design degree, and a computer starting a business on the side, because I had to get a “real” job and nobody had told me (nor had I looked it up) that you could actually do design (my passion) for a living.
Instead, I was out there in the wild looking for a j-o-b.
Until I did so much designing “on the side” it took over the looking for a job part, which led to pursuing my work full-time. However, it took me quite a while to really own that I was a business owner, doing what I love and actually that I wasn’t looking for a j-o-b. It just seemed so surreal to do work I truly enjoyed. Wasn’t work supposed to be something you dread come Monday morning? Um nope, instead I landed perfectly in the world of being passionate about your work. And I could not have landed a better job. Thank you!
Who knew? All I did was listen to my gut, (get a few no’s) and it kept pushing me back to focus on my own firm.
It took me years to define my “why”, which is; support clients to define their unique skills, thrive and make a greater impact with their business. I had to evolve, really hone in what makes sense to me, figure out who I enjoy working with and immerse myself in books, podcasts, networking, anything I could think of to learn more of what to really do.
In addition, a few years ago I added a layer to my “why” after taking a course that really changed how I looked at business, it opened my eyes to giving back. The course explained how you could build in giving back into your service, it was like angels came down from the heavens and sang to me. Holy cow, I can do that now?! So I did.
It changed how I approached business and beyond getting to work with my passion, supporting a team and paying my bills, I got to make a greater impact… I couldn’t and can’t think of anything more beautiful.
My hope is that my story inspires you to find what really makes you tick or if you already found that, to perhaps look at what you can give back.
Greatness is not what you have but what you give.
