What’s Your Why?

Why do you do what you do?

If you’ve found a way to earn a living doing something you really love, congratulations.  You are WAY ahead of most folks.

You’re also pretty gosh darned unusual – because that’s not how it is for most people.

See, most people live by default.

They float through time like driftwood, landing wherever life, and circumstance, carries them. They grow up, get a job, get married, have kids, buy a house. Some choose a career that seems pretty reasonable, and may even go after higher education or extra training to get it. But most – even those with college degrees – will take something that basically pays the bills and supports the family, whether it’s what they really want to do, or not.

And most will think that’s just the way it has to be, because after all, we can’t always get what we want, right?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

The sad truth is that very few people spend their days doing what they really, truly, passionately…

…Love.

I think about this a lot.

My life stays pretty full. My family teases me about it. My friends caution me about it. My clients have learned to be patient when I’m hard to reach because I’m off on yet another who-knows-what idea.

And there are (many, many) days when I think, “Why can’t I just stay in my office 8-5,  Monday through Friday, do perfectly good work there, and be satisfied with that? Life would be so much simpler…

Indeed. What IS that?

What is it that drives me to continually try new things, explore new ideas, test new ways of Being in the world, when it would be so much easier not to?

WHY do I do that?

Because I have always been determined to do what I love – even if what I love, changes.

And what about you?
Why do you do what you do?
How did you get where you are?

And is this really where you want to be?

The journey is the thing.
–Homer, The Odyssey

The key is to keep asking that question, and stay open to the ever changing answers.

I started out, back in the day, as a broadcasting major. I was in love with writing, and thought that landing a spot as a news anchor would be fun AND pay the bills.

By the time I got out of college, I’d fallen in love with psychology, changing majors even though I knew it wasn’t practical. You can’t GET a job with a BA in psych, so I knew that meant more school, and a less-than-sure-thing job search.

By the time I got out of graduate school, I was in love with working with teens and had what I thought was my dream job, with good pay, an office in a log cabin, and a work day that included campfires and long walks in the woods.

By the time I became a mom, I was in love with a certain little brown-eyed boy, and knew I wanted to be home more. But I couldn’t find a part time job, so I started a business instead. Building my own practice let me set my own hours and honor my own priorities.

I had no idea what I was doing – but I learned.

By the time I was Mama to two, I was in love with a little brown-eyed girl, AND with the thrills (and challenges) of owning a business. I had also reconnected with a passion first ignited in college – a passion for supporting and empowering women and girls. So I accepted an invitation to help start an annual event for girls (the Sister to Sister Summit, which continued for eleven years and served over 1000 girls), and launched an idea to help other women be in business for themselves (Cove Mountain Counseling, one of the premier counseling centers in our community today).

I had no idea what I was doing – but I learned.

By the time my kids were in high school, I’d fallen in love with community work, and accepted an invitation to run for office. I was still passionate about empowering women, and knew I had to ‘walk my talk’. If I ran, maybe others would. So I did. And so did others.

I had no idea what I was doing – but I learned.

By the time I finished a term in office, I was restless, and ready for a new challenge. So I spent six months reading, journaling, praying, listening, and waiting for what was Next. And I realized how much I’ve always been in love with travel, and how much it helped when I could convince my clients to travel, too. So I launched Secret Adventures for Courageous Women.

I had no idea what I was doing – but I learned.

And after three years of running Secret Adventures, I’ve come full circle, and realize how much I still love being a business owner, and still love helping women be in business for themselves. So I started offering private coaching for small, heart-centered businesses, and launched the C2C Small Business Success Circle.

And yes, by now, I actually do know what I’m doing. :)

Life is good.
Do what you like.
Like what you do.

You’ll recognize that quote from the popular Life is Good company. I love their motto – because it’s pretty much how I live my life.

And knowing your “why” is key to “doing what you like, liking what you do”.

This is what I know for myself: I have an absolute passion about helping women recognize – and own – what beautiful, brave and powerful beings they already are.

And I have an absolute love of adventure (and to me, everything is an adventure).

So that’s why I do what I do.

How about you? Do you love what you do?

And if not, why not change it?

(And if you need a little help figuring out what that would look like, let me know!)


 Photo Credit: Wendy Pitts Reeves
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