The Importance of Having a “Why”

Fulfillment is a critical component of any career. From performance to longevity, one’s career satisfaction plays a major role in determining success. It’s important to identify your passion, the “why” in why do you do the work you do. Have you given it much thought? Understanding your “why” and what you are passionate about is a crucial step in finding long term happiness in your career. So, let’s dive deeper into understanding why you do the work you do, how to communicate your passion, and how the impact this answer can have on your career. Marc Anthony said it best, “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” 

Given the size and importance of the question, sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. Some already know the answer; they have a clear path forward to achieve career satiation and happiness. For others, the answer is not obvious and the way forward is unclear. Regardless of where you are in your exploration of self and career, here are questions you can consider to better determine your “why.” 

1. What energizes you to get up and start your day? 
2. What are your innate strengths; what are you naturally good at? 
3. Where are you able to have the greatest impact and value? 

To illustrate, if I asked myself the above questions my answers would be, respectively:  

1. I love connecting with people in a way that is impactful to their personal and professional growth. Due to good fortune and careful planning, every role I have held throughout my career has involved connecting with individuals in a meaningful way. As this connection is a major pillar of what drives me, I wake up each day excited to get to work and build relationships.
2.  I’m a natural communicator and listener. I am able to work with clients and candidates alike to understand what they need, and how to achieve their goals.
3. I have found an immense amount of impact and value in my work as a Career Consultant. While there are many examples of said impact, one notable one involved helping a candidate prepare for a meeting with a client of ours. In that preparation, we discussed their career goals and how to formulate questions around them, what to research ahead of time, and role-played how to structure questions to get the most out of the conversation. By the end of this call, I could hear the boost of confidence in their voice and could tell they were ready to tackle the meeting. While the time spent preparing the candidate was relatively small for me, it made all the difference for the candidate and their confidence level. 

Not only am I able to work with incredibly talented individuals on a daily basis, but I’m also able to connect with new people, and use my communication skills to gain an understanding of what someone’s values are both personally and professionally. I love what I do. My work is complemented by my natural talent, and the impact I see on a daily basis both drives and sustains me in my efforts. For me, this is what fulfillment looks like. 

Now that you know what a “why” is, and know what questions to ask yourself to establish your “why,” you should consider what happens if you don’t know the answer, and never bother to find out. In short, you will forgo your most straightforward and achievable method of gaining career fulfillment. Maybe that doesn’t seem like an immediate or impending problem, but imagine, in 5 years, you realize what you’re doing isn’t your passion, and you have no idea where to go next? More immediately, if you’re not currently satisfied with your work, you should know the feeling of career unfulfillment may cause negative health effects and burnout. 

If you do discover your “why,” who do you share it with? Is it something you keep secret, only tell family and friends? Your boss and colleagues? While family and friends may be obvious, sharing your “why” with your boss and colleagues is a great idea to further your fulfillment. You want to be a part of an organization that fosters passion and has a shared mission. If your boss’s “why” is different than yours, that’s ok! Different passions will impact the organization in different ways, all to create a dynamic environment. 

People are inherently unique thus will have different answers to the above questions. This is not a one size fits all scenario. By knowing your “why,” you’re more likely to be fulfilled in your career and find a truly lasting impact in your work. Given the fact we spend a third of our lifetime at work, or more, given our industry, is it worth the risk never discovering your “why?”