Take your business to the next level: Define the why

Simon Sinek has given, what I feel, is one of the best TED talks ever. Despite some technical difficulties and low-tech methods of sharing, Sinek gives a 20 minute talk that wraps up why some businesses fail (or fail to be incredible) and other businesses are GREAT.

You can watch the video at the end of this post or visit the TED.com site, but let me share the basis of what Sinek shares.

What makes a business, a person, an organization GREAT is defining one thing.

WHY?

The what and how questions are pretty simple for most businesses.

You offer photography (the what question). You do it through portraits or weddings or photo-journalism. You provide great products – albums, framing, custom artwork, etc (these are both the how question).

The what and how questions usually are the 2 things that a business will define, but don’t go on the big one. Why.

Why is hard to answer.  It forces you to be introspective. It forces you to slow down. It forces you to take time and think.

How to define the why of your life or business.

Defining the why of your life will most likely flow directly into your business if you are self-employed. If you work for someone else, it is a good exercise to make sure that the why of your life matches up with the why of the business you work for (at least it doesn’t conflict).

Here are 4 steps you can take to help you answer the why of your life or business.

1. Set aside time – I was able to answer some of these questions earlier this year. I took a little time after spa Event in March and then more time in June when I attended The Storyline Conference in Portland. I recommend at least a full-day. You may want to work on it intentionally for a day, but then let it sit and stew in your mind and heart for a few days, weeks or even a few months.
2. Answer these questions –
• What you are passionate about?
• What do you hate?
• What do you love?
• What drives you?
• What excites you?
3. Get input from others – Ask you friends and family members how they would answer the above questions. You know yourself best, but you may not see a part of you that others have always known.
4. Use an outside source – it can be helpful to use an outside source to help you walk through the process. A couple I recommend is Dave Ramsey’s outline for developing a mission statement and Michael Hyatt’s Life Plan (both are free, you just give an email address). You can also work with a business coach or clinical psychologist who can help you work through these questions and more.

2 Examples of WHY.

So what does why look like in real life (beyond what Simon Sinek outlines in his talk)? Here are 2 examples from my life.

The Collective

It dawned on me as I watched Sinek’s video again (for about the 10th time), that the why of my life and The Collective can be summed up in 1 word. Life.

I want a full, abundant life. I want to help others find and live full, abundant lives.

I want people to have hope that they can find a life that has endless possibilities. I want people to feel like they are able to do anything, anytime because of the gifts and talents they have.

Kia Bondurant

Kia has had a couple of things happen in her life to cause her to ask herself why. Why does she do what she does? Why does she love photographing seniors? Why does she love photography? Why does she love the business of photography (and specifically senior photography)?

For sake of space I’ll direct you to 2 links she recently posted here on The Collective:

• I am in my subject’s eyes.
• Yes, I photograph UGLY.

What she doesn’t say in either article is she is discovering her why. She is defining her why. The why will help take her photography and business to the next level.

Leave a comment: What is the why of your life? Business?

Here are 2 books worth reading to help you on this subject:

• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey
• 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller

Here is the TED video by Simon Sinek:

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