Four Steps to understand your WHY -  Jolene McKenna

Four Steps to understand your WHY

When a client comes to me to improve their business or ignite their business to the next level, I always spend time getting to the ‘WHY’ in the situation. This is a time of transition for the world and many of us entrepreneurs are stepping out into the world because we know something bigger is calling to us. But WHY?

The WHY can be one of the most significant points of clarity that guides our actions.  The real ‘WHY’ behind our actions comes from the emotional side of our brain and can require some real digging to uncover it.

Sometimes we can get to our WHY as the result of a crisis.  When our emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical being is stripped down the WHY behind our life or choices can become crystal clear.  But I don’t recommend this approach

There is an easier way.

Step One: First find a friend that you absolutely trust.  Ask them to help you with this process

Step Two: Write down a statement describing something you want to accomplish, but has been eluding you.

Step Three: Meet with your friend either on the phone or in person and ground yourself to focus on the WHY behind your statement. Follow this process below.

• Speak your statement out loud.
• Your friend will ask you “Why is that important?”
• Answer the question.
• Your friend will now ask you “Why is the answer you just gave important?”
• Answer that question
• Your friend will ask again “Why is the answer you just gave important?”
• Answer that question  (be patient, we are almost done)
• Your friend will ask again “Why is the answer you just gave important?”
• Answer that question
• Your friend will ask again “Why is the answer you just gave important?”

Step Four: Write down the final answer to the question of WHY. Now – compare your original statement to your final statement.  If you felt safe and willing to dig deep I bet you will find a very specific need behind why you want to accomplish something. This is the statement you want to start taking action upon.

When I applied this technique to the reason I wanted to start a consulting business after I had already experienced professional success in the corporate world my statement significantly changed.

Initial Statement: I want to help entrepreneurs get control of their business so they can grow.

After my five WHYs:  I want to help entrepreneurs turn chaotic energy into creative energy so they can reach more people and share their gifts with the world.

When I wake up in the morning – which statement will motivate me to get moving?