Finding Your 'Why Factor'.

Most of us live our day-to-day lives in a rut. We get up to brush our teeth, make our coffee/tea of choice, go to work, come home and do it all again the next day, all without purpose or knowing what our ‘why’ is.

If I ask people what their ‘why’ is, their answer is often providing for their children or paying off a mortgage and bills. These are all real and practical responsibilities, but do these things ignite that certain fire in our bellies; the true joy of living the life that you should or could have?

 To realise my own ‘why’, I have partnered with Vistaprint Australia to mentor up-and-coming businesses on finding their point of difference. As part of the ‘Why Factor’ campaign, I am proud to extend my learning to the many Australians searching for what makes their small business unique.

 So how do you find your ‘why’ or your purpose - what do you want written on your gravestone?

Purpose is one of the most powerful motivators on the planet. Have you ever heard someone talk about wanting to run a marathon? That is their goal, but their ‘why’ is far more interesting. Their ‘why’ is more likely to be that they want to test themselves and find out what they are made of. A marathon runner may want to complete their race to make them feel younger, stronger, more in control, or admired. However, they may also want more than simply riding the hamster wheel of life; they want to feel fulfilled.

In the context of business, Vistaprint’s goal is to help entrepreneurs promote their business effectively through professional printed materials and design and marketing expertise. Yet their ‘why’ is to level the playing field between entrepreneurs and large corporations.

Your ‘why’ does not have to be your career. If you’re genuinely happy to invest hundreds of hours into your projects, then it doesn’t feel like work because you are living your purpose. But your passion could be surfing, painting or yoga. Finding your ‘why’ comes down to feeding your soul and reaching your happy place.

 My ‘why’ for Boost is simply about loving life and that is why this quote is on every store and t-shirt that our staff wear. ‘Loving life’ for me means that I am in control of my destiny to create products that help others fit more fruit and vegetables in their diet and, finally, create a brand that takes service and store experience to a new level.

This ‘why’ for starting my own business will evolve over time, but so far, so good. I don’t intend to change the world, but if I can make people feel just a little bit happier by coming to Boost, then I have done my job. I want people to be proud of working for Boost and that our customers feel good about holding our green cup.

For successful people in business, the ‘why’ is rarely a financial goal - this usually comes if you get the product, the brand, and the experience right. I am proud to work with Vistaprint to help people to find their ‘why’ in business and in life. You can head to Vistaprint Australia’s Why Factor blog to access my shortcuts to success and learn more about the challenges of building your own business from other local SMEs.

 CHECK THE BLOG EACH WEEK FOR NEW CONTENT: Finding Your 'Why'