Finding the "WHY?"​

This week in our team meeting the founder asked us to figure out our "WHY?".

For some reason, maybe my age, maybe where I am in my career or maybe it just struck an emotional chord with me, I really looked inward as to my "WHY?" honestly for the first time in my life. I am not a young man. I have done things that other people only dream of, but my "WHY?" for those were usually met with an internal response of "WHY NOT?".

Now at age 56, I am hit with a true mental kerfuffle of "WHY?". I'm not sure what is different this time. It might be that this is probably my last shot in the world of the working. It might be that this job isn't about "WHY NOT?". It might just be that this time after all the other times it's not about me or my pride. All I do know is that it is so different this time that the question stopped me in my tracks.

The "WHY?" this time is about people other than me. First and foremost it is about my wife. I want to be successful so when I'm gone she doesn't have to worry about finances. Second, it is about our founder. We have known each other for 30 years and to have him reach out to me and offer me an opportunity to be on his team was genuinely humbling. The last "WHY?" is about our customers. Our primary business is to work with the Uniformed Services of The United States of America and to that end, I want to do everything I can to help them, I spent many years on that side of this equation and want to make sure they have what they need to accomplish the mission.

So if someone asks you what your "WHY?" is and your internal response is "WHY NOT?" you may want to take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror.

Written By: Arthur Caldwell