Every other word she utters is, “Why?”
Every answer to her, “Why?” is followed up with another, “Why?”

And so I started thinking: That’s a great question.

Why do you do what you do?
Why is your work, your work?
Why do you stay at it? Why do you love it? Why?

In Jim Collins’ landmark book, Built to Last (Good to Great, his more famous book, was written as a prequel to Built to Last), he shares an exercise which is profound (and profoundly simple) for getting at the deeper reasons for what you do. He calls it The Five Why’s:

Start with the descriptive statement, “We make X products” or “we deliver X services,” and then ask “why is that important?” five times. After a few whys, you’ll find that you’re getting down to the fundamental purpose of the organization.

When you ask, “why?”, five-levels deep, where are you taken?

I’m taken to some of my core beliefs that motivate my work, and the kinds of differences I want to make in the world. And when I do that, the reasons why I do what I do come into really clear focus. And, they expand.

When I started Monk At Work, I was coming from ten years of working as a spiritual and energetic healer, using my intuitive abilities to help people know why they were sick, what they needed to do to get well, and then help them get there, through personal development and spiritual growth.

And yet, when I asked myself, “Why?”, the reasons always came down to my desires to make the world a better place. I realized that in order to do that on the scale I wanted to, in the way I wanted to, I would have to change just about everything about my business. And so, I did.

Now, I teach spiritual development, intuition, and productivity (well, I used to…). But why?

1. Because if you can become the best of who you were born to be, open your heart to your patrons, know what they need, and then get good enough at doing things to actually get done the things that will help your people, then you can create a remarkable business. But why?
2. Because if you create a remarkable, client-centered business that truly serves people, you are becoming an immensely deep, beloved friend for your patrons. But why?
3. Well, besides making obvious business sense (talk about laying the ground for rich client relationships, lifelong customers, and a reason to spread the word!), it’s because that’s what people long for. Love. Richness. A great life. And your business can help foster that. But why?
4. Because the more love that exists in the world, the better world we have to live in. More love = more happiness = more respect for self and others = more caring for, well, everything… including the environment, the needy, and those who are in your world, in one way or another.

So, those are four of my Why’s (no one says you have to get to five). And, it’s also the foundation, message, and vision of my business. Now you know what Monk At Work is all about:

I’m here to help you become a beloved friend to your patrons, and in turn, create rich, meaningful lives for all.

The “how” is through spirituality, productivity, and intuition, of course… but that’s a discussion we can get further into at another time.

What are your Why’s? I’d love to hear.

© Adam for Adam Kayce, 2007. | Permalink | 13 comments