Finding Your Motivation

In this episode of From Vision to Business Roadmap, Mira discusses the transformative power of finding your "why." Learn how understanding your purpose can fuel your entrepreneurial journey and help you overcome challenges. Whether you're starting a new venture or refining an existing one, this episode will provide practical steps to uncover your core motivation and align it with your business goals.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to from vision to business, your roadmap to success, a podcast offering the tools,

(00:06):
strategies and insights you need to succeed.
Whether you're starting from scratch or ready to level up, each episode delivers valuable
advice to help you overcome challenges and build a business that works.
Your host, Mira Jefferson, brings 25 plus years of business experience as an entrepreneurial
consultant and is here to guide you.

(00:27):
Your journey to success begins now.
Good morning everyone.
This is Mira Jefferson and today we're diving into one of the most overlooked yet critical
questions that every aspiring entrepreneur like yourself needs to ask.
That question is, what is your why?

(00:51):
Starting a business can no doubt be extremely exciting, but if you don't have a clear understanding
of what your reasons for doing it, you will more than likely hit roadblocks.
And when you hit those roadblocks, then things will seem to be insurmountable.
So let's talk for a minute about why finding your why is very important and how finding

(01:15):
your why can help shape your entrepreneurial journey.
Your why is your anchor.
Understanding your motivation for starting your business is your anchor.
We all know that starting a business is tough.
If someone tells you that starting a business is easy, it's a piece of cake.

(01:40):
Anybody can do it.
While half of that is true, anybody can start a business, the other half is a bull phase
lie because it is not easy.
It's a tough venture to have an idea in your mind and then turning it into a material business.

(02:01):
So having your why and understanding what your motivation is will help ground you during
these tough times that will arise.
There's no maybe.
Every new business owner will have tough times.
And having that motivation and knowing what your motivation is will help you push through
those challenges.
Whether it's financial freedom or pursuing a passion or you're looking to solve a specific

(02:27):
problem, having clear motivation makes all the difference.
Having a clear motivation will help you keep moving forward and also knowing your why,
it helps to guide your decisions.
Understanding what your motivation is helps you to make strategic choices.

(02:49):
I'll give you an example.
Say for instance, it is your goal to be able to spend more time with your family.
If that's your goal, you're going to focus on building a business model that doesn't
consume all of your time.
Right?
So, think of it.
If you want to spend more time with your family, why on earth would you start a business where

(03:12):
you're going to be gone 24-7?
It doesn't add up and it doesn't balance out.
Understanding what your motivation is also helps to keep you aligned with your vision.
Unfortunately, entrepreneurs often face the shiny object syndrome, which effectively is
chasing trends that don't align with their core values.

(03:32):
But knowing your why keeps you on track.
How do you go about discovering your why?
Start by asking yourself these three questions.
You ready?
Number one, what's driving me to start this business?
What's my motivation?

(03:52):
Number two, what problem am I solving and why does it matter to me?
Number three, what does success look like for me personally?
And when you have those answers to those questions, write it down.

(04:14):
Put it on paper so you can refer back to it later.
And once you write down your answers, create a mission statement or a journal about your
goals in order to be able to clarify where you want to go.
And once you write it down on a piece of paper, don't just stick it in a filing cabinet or

(04:35):
in a folder or in your desk somewhere.
Keep it visible.
Put it on your desk out in the open.
Or if you don't want to put it on your desk or on a bulletin board, you put it on your
phone wherever you can see it often.
I've worked with many people who are there.
We have the old fashioned entrepreneurs who likes everything on paper.

(04:59):
And then we have the more techie savvy entrepreneurs who would like to have things on their tablet
or their phone.
Either way is fine.
Just as long as you can refer back to it later and it's visible to you.
Be honest with yourself and also be specific.
Some people may say, I just want to make money.

(05:21):
Don't get me wrong.
That is a valid reason.
There's nothing wrong that wanted to make money, but dig deeper into your motivation.
Why do you want to make money?
Is it because you want financial security, freedom, or do you want to leave a legacy
for your family?
The clearer your why, the easier it is to stay motivated and on track.

(05:47):
Understanding your why and motivation is more than just a nice exercise.
It's your North Star.
It helps you to stay motivated, focused, and aligned with your goals.
So take the time to reflect on it before you dive into the logistics of starting your business.
That's all for now.
Thanks for tuning in to From Vision to Business Roadmap.

(06:10):
If you've enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and share it with someone who's
ready to start their journey too.
I'm Mary Jefferson and I'll see you in the next episode where we'll dive into practical
steps to turn your vision into a thriving business.