What is the difference between your personal why and your business why? Well, for some, perhaps nothing. For others, your personal why may influence your business why, but it may be framed in a different way. Come Monday morning when you make your way into the office, or turn on the home computer, or start whatever activity you need to for your business, the question is why… why are you doing it? For some, bills need to be paid. Paying bills requires money. Money requires work. Therefore, I work so I can pay the bills.

However, I have my doubts that deep down the why of many people is “to make money”. Don’t get me wrong, I am all in favor of profitable businesses and making money, but I really don’t think that is the why in most (if not all) cases. There is a root cause reason of why you started your business or why you joined the organization you are a part of. What did you believe in? What difference did you want to make? Why are you doing what you are doing instead of something else?

While a mission or vision statement is important, it sometimes falls short by one layer of depth to understand the why of the business. That vision statement that says what you are going to do is very important, but the layer deeper is the why behind that mission statement. Why does that vision statement make sense for you, but not the business down the road or competitor across town? There is a uniqueness to who you are and it is so important to never forget that!
Your business needs a north star. You need something that you can always grip onto during the good times, bad times. Regardless of a fun strategic growth session or a crisis management situation, knowing that north star will come in handy!