What was it all for?
Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.
-Danny Thomas
If you follow any of the social media pages for Any Old Task you may have seen our recent post “Why Supporting a Charity Could Save Your Business“. It was a well received article that explained how supporting a charity doesn’t just provide your business with goodwill and exposure; it doesn’t just inspire your employees and clients and turn them into brand ambassadors. It also gives you a very clear answer to the question “What was it all for?”
Everyone asks themselves this question at least once in their lives. You’ve worked hard, spent hours on a project or at the office getting things done; put off time with family and friends; and let potential opportunities pass you by… for what? Money? Recognition? Those things are great but ultimately not fulfilling; and being unfulfilled in business, as in life, can have numerous negative consequences.
Since posting that article I’ve been focusing on finding my answer to the question. I donate to causes, participate in fundraising events and volunteer with organizations; but which of these activities do I personally find most rewarding?
Some people feel rewarded by building schools in Haiti, or participating in a large fundraising event for a national cause. Personally, I am a helper, a fixer and a lover of all things local. I feel motivated and fulfilled when I know I am working to help those around me. I like to make a difference. Nothing grand. I don’t aim to change the world at large but I know I can change this corner of the world for my family and friends, my clients and associates, and my community.
I can help them get things done; I can make a difference in their daily lives by finding and implementing solutions to obstacles they may be facing. I can volunteer my time with local initiatives aimed at helping my community directly. And when I look back at all the hard work I’ve done, all the I hours I put in, I can see that I’ve made a difference. And being able to see that keeps me going.
Knowing this about myself is important. It will help me direct the course of my business to ensure that what ever I am doing I will always be working on something that fulfills me so I will never have to look back and wonder “What was it all for”?
What about you? What are you motivated and fulfilled by?
When you ask yourself “What is it all for”, what is your answer?
Tell us in the comments below.
Meet your host
Sandra Booker, Founder of Changemaker Inc. (home to Sidekick COO and The VA Studio) and creator of Scale Society and The Advisory Board, is a mentor, Fractional COO and growth strategist. She specializes in helping overworked, overwhelmed, multi-hatted entrepreneurs become the CEOs of sustainably scalable, and powerfully profitable businesses.
After helping local businesses thrive, and receiving accolades in her community (like the 40 Under 40 award) Sandra turned her attention to the world of online service providers, and her clients include familiar names like Chanti Zak, Tarzan Kay, and Laura Belgray.
In her (efficiently used) spare time, she teaches others how to build and grow their own 6-figure virtual assistant practices and is on a mission to create a million jobs by helping her clients and students scale their businesses.
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