One of the not-so-awesome experiences was placing, what seemed like, an infinite amount of business-card-size flyers under wiper blades of a sea of cars, in Chicagoland, in the winter.

Now a few points on Chicagoland, if you know Chicago in the winter, it’s cold, many times it can be warmer in Alaska, there are also many, MANY parking lots full of cars, so in reality, the leads seemed almost endless. See what I did there? I turned a situation that wasn’t so pleasant into a positive. Was it hard and discouraging? Most definitely! All I could think about though was two things. First, getting back to my sanctuary, my car, to warm up. Secondly, getting callbacks from all the work I’d done. Did I get callbacks? Yes. Most of these callbacks were not people wanting what I was offering though, they were pissed that I touched their car, that I trespassed on the parking lot, and many other calls from disgruntled people. Did I get positive feedback? Yes, not as much though as I dreamed I would while I was out hustling.

What kept me on track when the going got hard? Why did I do it? What was my motivation? Well, I am a lucky guy, to say the least, things work out for me one way or another. This crazy world I was catapulted into had gems, lots of them. These gems were motivational speakers, life coaches, business coaches, successful family, all sorts of people I could learn from. These gems ranged from network marketing veteran and coach, Jeff Combs, to real estate expert and success coach Tony Litster, to the leader of the Og Mandino Company, Dave Blanchard. There were many more along the way but the one resonating theme was “WHY”. Create your “WHY” because this will help you, your family, and your business to stay focused and grow.

What was my “WHY” for putting cards under wiper blades in the winter? For one, I knew that what I was offering had changed people’s lives, I saw it first-hand with my own family. Secondly, I wanted to create a life for my own family that was better than how I grew up, that’s not saying I had a bad upbringing, but I wanted to better my place in life. That kept the drive in me.

I’m 30 now, and I have had experiences that some people only dream of having. Life has been good and I’ve always had a driving “WHY”. In the past month I have been listening on Audible to the book, “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek. A very powerful listen.

Here is where it gets good. Have you ever wondered about your “Gut Feelings”, where do they come from, how do they form? Why do some advertisements “work” on you and why do you shrug off others? Well, those “Gut Feelings” aren’t actually created in your “Gut”, see the chart. They are created in your Limbic Brain…

Ok, so let me prove to you something. Do you use paper? Do you have a brand of paper you always buy? Probably not. Imagine for a moment though that you are listening to the radio and hear a commercial for Dunder Mifflin.

“Hey there Ohio, this is Michael Scott from Dunder Mifflin we have been providing paper for over 50 years, we know the what the industry needs and we have the best price for all your office paper needs. Since 1965 we offer same day delivery on all customized orders, want to buy some paper?”

Was this inspiring? How likely are you to order from Dunder Mifflin?

Next is an example of a commercial that starts with “WHY”.

“Hey there Ohio, this is Michael Scott from Dunder Mifflin. We are committed to keeping the planet healthy for future generations. One way to do this is to be more responsible for how we use our planet’s rich resources. Here at Dunder Mifflin, we are committed to planting 1 tree for every ream of paper we sell. Since 1965 we have understood that companies often need fast delivery so we are offering same day delivery on all custom orders. Want to buy some paper?”

Did you feel the difference in the message?

Knowing your “WHY”, and being able to convey it to your team is as critical to your business as having customers. Without it, your business is like a ship in a storm, without a captain at the helm. You may be lucky and drift around in circles, but there is a good chance of hitting the rocks and sinking. Take the time to find your “WHY”, whether you know it or not this is also the driving force for your company. Once you have discovered your guiding beacon, share it with everyone and make sure to never stray from it.