The Reason Why

The Reason Why

Hello, friends.  In many of my recent articles, I have discussed various strategies for achieving success in the business world.  Today, I would like to take a step back and ask you a very general question.  Assuming that you are an ambitious businessman looking for ways to increase your chances of achieving success, my question is: Why?  Why are you trying so hard to become successful?

To some of you, this must seem like as silly question.  After all, why wouldn’t you want to be successful?  But successful is a very general word—it means something different to each individual.  What I want you to do now is ask yourself what you mean by success, and then ask yourself why it is important that you achieve it.  Say, for example, your personal idea of success is to own your own business.  Why is that your goal?  Why is that important to you?  Perhaps, instead, your success is attaining the job title of Vice President of a company.  Again, why is that where you have set your sights?  How do you hope to benefit from this?

My point in asking these questions is that you always know Why you are pursuing a goal.  Many people decide that they want to achieve something and then set about working towards it without ever stopping to wonder Why they want that achievement so badly.  They may actually dedicate their lives to achieving something without ever really knowing Why they wanted it.

The danger in this lack of self-analysis is that, once you achieve your version of success, you may feel extremely dissatisfied.  Here you are, finally having succeeded after much hard work and effort, and yet you are not comforted by your success.  Why?  Because it turns out that you didn’t really want this form of success.  You thought you did, but now, having achieved it, you feel a sense of emptiness.  If you had spent the time to analyze yourself a little, to really consider Why you’ve set the goals you have, Why that is your idea of success and Why you want it, then you would have realized that you needed to rethink your objectives.  It is much, much better to consider the reasons behind your goals now then years later, when it is too late to make adjustments.

Always remember: success is only worthwhile if it is meaningful to you personally.  Don’t chase someone else’s idea of success.  Determine your own, and understand Why.