Your why is what gives you the momentum to keep moving forward.

Understanding your why is not always easy. It can be elusive. There may be layers to work through till your “ah-ha” moment arrives.

When it comes to your why your personal and professional lives need to be aligned. No matter whether you are starting your career, at the top of your field, a stay at home parent or a retiree, your why will allow you:

1. to choose to focus on what you are passionate about
2. to be aligned with your values
3. to live a life filled with integrity
4. to be happy in the moment you are in because you are aligned to your purpose

Your why gives you a sense of purpose. It’s what makes you unstoppable!

Tweet

How I discovered my “why”

I’ve always been more interested in helping people than in professional recognition. I’ve been volunteering for various causes and organisations pretty much all my life.

My passion is helping people who are struggling.

However, it was not until I was diagnosed with breast cancer that I realised exactly that this was where my passion lay. Before that it was ambition to succeed that drove me – not passion.

My diagnosis brought me to a grinding halt. Physically and mentally.

More importantly, it was a catalyst. A life changing one. It led me to finding my why.

I closed down my retail and award winning export businesses. My focus became breast cancer advocacy.

Establishing Dragons Abreast Australia, a national charity of breast cancer survivors embracing the life-affirming, health promoting, benefits of dragon boat paddling as part of recovery, education and awareness gave me purpose and passion.

Today there are flotilla’s of survivor paddlers across the planet but back in the day, there was only a couple of groups in Canada, 1 in the USA, 1 in New Zealand and none in Australia!

In the years since I discovered my passion, I’ve been fortunate to work on a myriad of diverse projects.

Every single one of these projects and interests has meant living my passion for helping others reach their goals. Their success is my success. It is fuelled by my passion for seeing them achieve their goals.

I love working with clients towards achieving a better outcome either personally or in business. It really is my passion!

More importantly, it’s something I am really good at. We’re all good at things we are passionate about – that’s “understanding your why”. Simple really!

It was a gift to have an opportunity to meet Michelle Hanton – a woman that has shared her dreams and capacity across communities to the benefit of many – a woman that has seen and shared adversity through the hideous and crippling disease of breast cancer – a woman that believes in a value of family – a woman with a very big smile – a smile big enough that her eyes shut tight when in full flight.  You inspired me.

Damian Thomas Brown
Freelance Writer, Nov 2018

Pro-actively pursuing your why

Over the past 12 months, there has been a huge need to pivot for many businesses. For me, it’s been a hectic time because those who have traditionally shunned working in the online space, were keen to move there.

There are only 24 hours in the day and, much as I love to help, it’s simply not possible for me to help everyone. This frustrated me because I know the strategies I teach work and there are businesses desperate for the right guidance at an affordable price.

By embracing technology to create new ways of presenting information I’ve successfully moved what has been my signature strategic planning workshops into an online course.

Creating online courses and webinars have allowed me to reach a wider audience by become more affordable as well as more easily accessed.

Translating what you do in person, into the online space is not easy. There are stops and starts. Adjustments to be made. Lessons to be learnt, yet when you have passion for the difference you are making, it does not seem like work because it is aligned with who you are and what you are born to do. The issue of HOW to do it has been the one thing that has changed.

Have you found your why?
Michelle

PS Want to join my newsletter to help you move your business ahead. Sign up here