Finding your 'why'

23 October 2024

Attending a recent event, organised by the School’s Women in Business Alumni Network, was a refreshing experience. Hearing from the speakers and gaining insights and wisdom from their experience as entrepreneurs has inspired this month's blog post on discovering your ‘why’.

Thank you to Sarah Stephen for giving us this sound piece of advice: "Know your 'why', and make sure it's crystal clear in your mind".  Thank you to all who organised and supported this event alongside many of the WBS alumni networking events.

You may be familiar with Simon Sinek and his books Leaders Eat Last and Start with Why. In the latter the author takes you on a journey of self-discovery. It is a discovery and not invention, as Sinek emphasises. For me a key insight is that this journey is supported by others who, through active listening and asking thought and emotion-provoking questions, help you recognise patterns and make connections and thus discovering your ‘why,’ which according to Sinek is the “contribution you make to the world”.

Knowing your ‘why’ is important because it provides you with a clear sense of purpose, which helps you make decisions, aligning with your core values and long-term goals.  The sense of purpose ignites your intrinsic motivation and it makes it easier for you to remain resilient and go through challenges and setbacks in your personal and professional life.

These are three essential steps towards discovering your ‘why’ and you don’t need Gen AI for this:

  • Self-Reflection: Spend time exploring your values, strengths, and passions. Consider what truly matters to you in life and work. Reflect on your achievements and identify your core strengths. Think about the impact you want to create in the world and how it aligns with your values and abilities.  You can use our Managing Your Career online course to help you with that or book an appointment with your Careers Coach.

 

  • Explore External Perspectives: Connect with friends and colleagues who you trust. Find a mentor.  The feedback of these people, who won’t know you as well as your immediate family, will provide valuable insights into your character, strengths, and potential blind spots. Arrange conversations where you can engage in an exploration of the reasons why you are friends, what connects you, why they can rely on you, why you are closer than the rest of the team. Some people will be quite concise in their answers, but you should aim to remain curious and keep asking questions. You are looking for explanations and details.  Soon you will identify recurring themes. Repeat these conversations with as many friends and colleagues as you need to figure out the connections that will point towards your ‘why’.  With the help of your mentors or coaches you might start delving deeper into your ‘why’.  You can find mentors at work and if you are interested in our award -winning mentoring programme, where you will be mentored by a WBS alum, read about it here.

 

  • Experiment: Put your emerging ideas into practice. Try out different activities or projects that resonate with your developing sense of purpose. This could involve volunteering (engaging with current students at the university by offering to be a speaker or a panellist at one of our upcoming events), starting a side project, or finding ways to incorporate your passions into your current role through job crafting. Your ‘why’ might evolve over time as you gain new insights and experiences.

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