It's not what you do... it's why you do it.

You'll remember from the Art of Brilliance workshops, that knowing your 'why' can not only help you to be the best version of yourself, but if you have a clear purpose in your working life, you are likely to be happier generally as well as much more effective at work.*

Did you find it hard to discover your why at the workshops? 

Don't worry - it can be really difficult to put things like this into words at the best of times, and if you feel under pressure to come up with something within a certain time, lots of us get brain fade!

It is worth spending a bit of time thinking about though; even if you just have the question in the back of your mind while you're going about your daily work, your subconscious will often surprise you.  Knowing your 'why' is actually a bit of a super-power - it will help your 'what' to have more impact, which in turn will make you, your colleagues and your customers feel even better.

The best way to find your 'why' is to think about the things in your life that have made you proud.  Once you have a few ideas, you might see the 'golden threads' that join all these proud moments together for you.  These are your signposts to the actions and choices you value most.

If thinking about your past is too difficult or painful, then you could try a different tack to find your 'golden threads'.  It does take a bit of practice but it's a simple idea - Take Notice.  Every day, make an effort to remember what works well, what gives you a buzz, what you enjoy doing most.  You might even find it helpful to write them down.  Noticing any challenges you face might also help you to find out what motivates you to do a good job, or to appreciate your successes.  All of these little nuggets will help you find out what your 'why' is.

When you have found some of your golden threads, you can start putting your 'why' into words using this sentence:

...and you're well on your way to your 'why'.

Thank you to everyone who shared their 'why' in the recent HIVE survey - here is a selection to inspire you if you haven't found yours yet.

"Simply to make people smile"

"To support via coaching and mentoring to push people out of their comfort zone so that they can take on opportunities and access improved career paths.  Sometimes you just need to know that someone believes in you."

"Having an overall positive impact on customers and possibly their families."

"I enjoy making people feel supported and fulfilled and happy."

"to make a difference however small"

"When I began my career I wanted to offer support to adults with learning disability and to make a difference. Relationships however are two way and my life has been touched by awesomeness so now my Why is Why not - Why would I not wantto feel honoured and proud in my job"

"I am here to make a difference. To maintain a happy friendly environment where people can come and have fun and build friendships. I want to create a better service for people to attend and for us to be able to grow. To engage in the wider community to have a better understanding of what other groupare out there and build relationships with them to enable people to have a choice in life of what they would like to do."

"I feel good going to work everyday is my  Why. I know I make a difference to others."

"I support people so that they can get the best out of their day and themselves"

"My Why is, Positive, helpful and living a good life."