I don’t want to write stuff. There. I said it. I have moments where thinking of the next thing to talk about can be mentally taxing. Then self-doubt sets in about whether what I’ll say is even valuable enough to publish it online. Yet here I am, typing this up with the intent that, shortly afterward, you will be reading it and finding said value.

As I step back from that scenario, what most obviously presents itself to me over and over again is to wonder why I do it. What is it that’s inside of me that keeps me doing this? A few years back I committed to posting a self-reflection every day to social media. It started as a challenge to myself but, at some point, I realised that I was actually impacting the lives of those who read the posts. Very swiftly it became something not about me and more about how my life could provide a source of learning and meaning to the people to whom I was connected. Through that, I found my drive. What I also found was my mind opening up to the possibilities around me that I could use as a source of inspiration for my writing.

But what does this have to do with business and with your professional life? Well, here’s a question: why do you do what you do? For some time now, I’ve spoken to people and they’ve said they wanted to start a business offering the products or services that they wanted to offer, or that they wanted to get a certain job. But when asked why they wanted to do that, the most common responses were “why not”, “so I’m not working for anyone else anymore” and “because I’m really interested in it”. Many people seem to assume that simply having the capability or interest in doing something is sufficient to ensure success. Meanwhile statistics show that the vast majority of businesses, over 90 percent, fail to last even 5 years and people are barely lasting 2 years in their current roles. A couple of years down the track, a commonly heard phrase is “it’s not what I was hoping” or “it’s not where I thought I would end up”. The challenge for many of us is to ensure that not only are we physically and mentally able to meet the needs of the new business or role, but that there’s an emotional connection that gives you the desire to excel.

How will you and others draw value from your efforts? What is it that this new venture will provide you that will fulfil you at your core? The question here requires an understanding of identity beyond capability. Excelling at a task requires much more than simply being able to do it. Many people have not spent time understanding what keeps them driven and what warms their hearts and, by extension, what provides them the commitment to ensure they’re doing their best. Many of us don’t engage in self-reflection.

What are you doing to reflect on your work, your motivation, your goals and your values? In the absence of reflection, many of us do not identify what we’ve been doing right, what needs improving, what aligned with self and felt good and what didn’t. We simply keep swimming along hoping that the direction we’re headed is the direction that will feel right down the track. Sure, this is a cliché, but so many people don’t do it in their professional lives. So many people, therefore, risk losing connection to their identities simply by just trying to do their job. The next step is the new business or career decision based on lost connection to identity. Meaning you start at a whole new ‘Square 1’ as someone who isn’t your true self.

So, to get back to my original point, here’s why I write. I write because it makes me have to think about who I’m being at a point in time. It’s an opportunity for me to check myself that what I’m doing on a regular basis continues to align with the coach that I want to be and the way I hope to help others. This helps me to make strategic decisions for my personal career and for how I run my coaching business. Just like my writing, that means that what I do will resonate with some people but not everyone and I learn that not pleasing everyone is part of being true to myself and my business. The same opportunity is afforded to you if you engage in reflective practises yourself. Maybe consider writing about what you’ve been doing and how you feel about it. Alternatively, spend some time with a person who is professionally qualified to help you understand yourself at a deeper and more holistic level. Ultimately, this could help you make the right decision to take you closer to what your version of success truly can be.

For additional support with self-reflective practises and deeper understanding of personal and professional identity, contact Inward Outward Coaching.