'Why?' The Question That Changes Lives and Guides Success.

Remember when you were a child and pushed or shoved a sibling, who then startedcrying?Soon, one or both of your parents arrived, and the first thing asked of you was, “Why?”

Why did you push your brother or sister? You might have hada ready answer:“because he looked at me funny” or “she wasmean to me” or any other number of standard answers. But the truth is, you didn't really know why you shoved your sibling. 58003

Chances are, you didn’t spend any time finding the real answer to your parents'question, because they/you movedon. Yet, the answer to the question, why?is the most important discovery you can make. It will help you reveal conflicts and change results that don’t work for you in every area of life. Including entrepreneurship.

"Why" is the question that really exposespurpose (the reason why something exists or is done). 58003

For entrepreneurs there are two levels of purpose which, if used properly, guide every choice and action and can lead to phenomenal success.

Level 1 --Why are you in business?

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.--John F. Kennedy

people ask you all the timewhy you're in business. Yes -- why? you then ask yourself.Is the answer “to make the most money’’?

For almost all entrepreneurs, that is actually not the answer. You're doing what you're doing because you were drawnto create a business you found, and still find, engaging.

Take Facebook for instance. That amazing success story has a simple statement that encapsulates the “why” of its business. “We are building Facebook to make the world more open and transparent, which we believe will create greater understanding and connection,”the statement says.

This simple purpose makes its way into all Facebook does.

So, what's your answer to the question?If you have to think through your answer, you've got a bigred flag.To process the answer, then, take some time to understand what you are passionate about and what you can stay with for a long time.

Whatever that is, no matter what anyone else thinks, it is what's right for you and will serve as the foundation for how to build your business.

Level 2 --Why do I work?

Choose a job you love and never work a day in your life.- Confucius

We now know why the business exists. The second “why” question goes to the heart of who you are.When you think about working, what is your motivation? Is it a need formoney? (There’s that money thing, again.)

Do you work because you are excited about creating something no one else yet has? Do you feel gratified by the impact your work has on others?

When we were young, adults began shaping us into workers. We were constantly asked by well-meaning relatives, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This process continued through high school, where the questioning intensified. At that point,the question was, “What do you wantto study in college?” The stakes were higher, because if our decisionwas off the mark, it might cost usdearly.

Throughoutour education, however, there was nocourse that helped us explore what we loved, what we excelledat and what wasimportant to us about work. And'stoo bad, considering how these questions could have saved our younger selvesa lot of suffering.

The good news,though, isthat it’s not too late to consider these questions now.

If you are an entrepreneur, there are a few waysthese answers can help. For one, you may find that some of the things needed in a business, like accounting, are something you can do but hate. In that case, it's a great idea to get someone else to take this on.

You may also find that are you still living a lifestyleothers recommended for you rather than the one you believe is best for you. So, change that, too.

Great success always comes from doing what you love for the right reasons. 58003 No matter whether you are a long-time entrepreneur, or an aspiring one, answer these two questions: Why does your business (or intended business) exist? And:Why are you working?

Make sure you formulate your answersin a quiet place and underno time constraints. Write down your answers and put them away for a day. Come back in 24 hours and read your answers again.

If they feel right, keep them close by. Read them every morning, and let them guide your decisions and actions. You will be amazed by what happens!