Create Your Why Before You Start Looking For Clients
In June of 2019, I quit my bartending job to be a writer. Did I have a plan? No. Did I have a consistent income? No. All I knew was that being a writer had been my dream for nearly 20 years, and it was time that I followed my passion. And that is exactly what your why should look like.
For some reason that year needed to be the year I pursued my passion. I just didn’t see myself slinging drinks behind that sticky bar anymore. I couldn’t imagine another year pretending that mixing 5 Mai Tais in under a minute was my biggest thrill in life.
Writing is something I know I was born to do. And knowing that is literally all it took to leave my day job (well… night job).
Was it the most responsible move? Absolutely not. But once you know your what that “why” is, there’s no stopping you. And that’s why defining that “why” should be your first step as a small business owner.
On days where you’re not sure what you’re doing or why you’re doing it, refer to that why and it will all make sense.
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What is Your Why?
As an entrepreneur, defining why you are willing to take on this huge responsibility as a small business owner is going to serve as your main source of motivation and self-inspiration. It’s, simply, why you’re doing this in the first place.
It doesn’t have to be one reason or the other, but it should be relatively focused. Some examples of this “why” might be:
To become a six-figure entrepreneur
To take care of my family
To be a voice/influencer in my industry
To help others achieve their dream job
To become famous
Every single one of these reasons can serve as the “why” behind your decision to start your business. Honestly, a couple of these serve as my own mantra for becoming a small business owner.
However.
You need to focus on just one why. We can all cling to the millions of reasons that we dove into our passion, but without that key ingredient that drives you forward, you’ll get distracted.
On days when you feel like you’re not cut out for life as an entrepreneur, that "why" is going to be what gets you off the couch and gets you going. When you fail to define your why, the more appealing your old 9 to 5 is going to sound.
How To Define It
So how can you niche down your “why?”
To get things flowing, let’s take out a pen and paper or the Note app. Start listing down every reason you’ve decided to become a business owner (or why you want to become one). Let’s use me as an example. Here are 3 of my why’s:
I want to be a writer
I want to take care of my entire family financially
I want to leave an impression on people
While all of these still play a very important role in pursuing my business dreams, none of these are strong enough to hold me down through years of trial, error, doubt.
So, I decided to elaborate on the one factor that has remained the most persistent and the truest to me.
And you need to do the same in order to define your why. Remember that it’s okay to be selfish when you create this why. This is your life, after all.
Focus
My #1 why for creating my business is because I want to be a writer. As much as I want to support my family, I know in my heart that that plan is a byproduct of becoming a successful writer/entrepreneur.
But the simple want of fulfilling this childhood dream still doesn’t seem like enough. Why do I want to be a writer? What will being a writer do for me? Am I even doing this for me?
By asking yourself more questions about your why, you’ll be able to hone in on your purpose so that it makes sense, is realistic, and can give you the motivation you need to push forward.
So, start asking yourself those personal questions. Embellish that “why” so that it defines you and your business.
My Why: I want my words to inspire people to go after their dreams.
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What To Do Next
Once you know your own why, it’s time to figure out your business plan.
You can use my Free Creative Content Business Planner to help you get started. Even if you’re already knee-deep in your aspirations, it’s important to reevaluate your business plan at least once per quarter.
Your Creative Content Business Planner will help you define your Mission Statement (which is essentially just your business why), develop your Ideal Client, and set your business goals. It will also help you strategize because being a small business owner is about doing— not just dreaming.
Next, you need to flesh out a marketing plan so that your why becomes a reality. Don’t just sit around and wait to go viral on Tik Tok or Instagram.
Now that you know why you’re in this for the long haul, you will be motivated to make that content, build that email list, and work on your social media. These steps, the actual work, is what is going to bring you to the next leg of your journey.
The making money and being successful part.
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It’s okay for your goals to change. In fact, they should change because soon enough, you’ll be crossing out your business goal and moving on to the next one. When that happens, it’s time to start climbing the ladder to the next level of your business and your next why.
So your why can change, too. If your goal is to become. a 6-figure freelance photographer and you’ve hit that goal, what’s next?
Is the next why to become an influencer? Is it to hire a team so that they can start living out their why?
That’s the beauty of creating a why. Whatever is most important to you should define why you are doing what you love. It’s your life goal, your purpose, and your inspiration. And just like your life, your why should be about the journey… not the destination.
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