What are Your Whys? Home Biz Families.com

“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go….”
Dr. Seuss

In yesterday’s post(Are You Inspired By Your Space?) I showed you my brand new work space and talked about why it inspires me. I thought it would be appropriate to talk a bit more about the “whys” of our home businesses.

Everyone has different whys. I am going to sound like Dr. Seuss for a moment, but I want to challenge you think for a moment about what your whys are.

What inspires you? Why are you working from home? What direction do you want to go?

In a traditional business or career, the whys are often much easier to pinpoint. My husband is a law enforcement officer. We’ve never given much thought about why he goes to work everyday because it is quite obvious. His career puts food on our table, it clothes us, it provides health insurance and it pays the bills.

In many cases, those of us who work from home provide a secondary income. Of course, some home-based workers are the primary breadwinners but on average we use our home-based careers supplement a primary income.

In those cases, our whys may be a bit harder to define. Obviously, our children are usually the biggest “why”. But it is important to consider (and jot down) other whys as well. Is your “why” a trip to Disneyworld? Is your “why” flexibility and freedom? Is your “why” simply a passion for the product you promote, articles you write or invention you created?

Sometimes our whys change over time. When I started my home business, my “why” was earning an extra $500 per month to help pay the bills. As I became more successful, my whys changed a bit (and not in a good way). Suddenly I was enjoying a taste of success and while I won’t go into detail, my “why” became more self-centered.

During our most successful seasons, and times when we are struggling, it is important to do a gut-check to remember (and possibly reconsider) our whys. Have you thought about your personal whys? Write them down.

If your why is a trip to Disney World, post a picture of Mickey Mouse on your desk. If your why is earning an extra $500 to pay the bills, post a copy of your first $500 check on your desk. Your why probably involves spending more time with your children. Post photos of your family camping trips, swimming lessons or other activities you were able to participate in as a result of your home business.

What are your whys? Have they changed? Tell us about it in the comments section.