I am going to be incredibly honest here, I struggle with understanding why I do the things I do. My friends that know me, know I love psychology and understanding what makes people do the things they do.
My recent fascination has been with understanding what makes people just get up in the morning. Why are some people willing to push themselves to the brink of exhaustion vs those that are just willing to skate by?
What is different about these people? Is it the way they were raised? Or is it genetic? I have a feeling it is a combination of both that correlates to success.
I’ll start with where this came from. I was listening to a podcast with Simon Sinek, who as you know is a motivational speaker and entrepreneur.
He was talking a lot about finding your why and how this concept develops when we are teens. This made a lot of sense to me because when I look deep inside myself and ask the hard questions, I can tell my answers are rooted in life experiences I had when I was a teen.
Start With Why – What Does “WHY” mean?
I really haven’t figured out my “Why” yet and in all honesty, I am not sure how I even got to the place I am in today! The last five years have been the hardest and most rewarding years. I can be honest and at least explain why I work so hard.
I refuse to give up. Plain and simple! When I enter a business deal, I push the pedal down as hard as it goes and I never look back.
It has served me in my real estate endeavors because the harder I push myself the more deals I make. Deals=Revenue for me. If I don’t make deals than my mortgage doesn’t get paid.
I positioned it this way so I would have no other choice other than to be motivated. That’s because I know myself so well. I know, if I back myself into a corner, I will fight my way out and be better when I come out the other side.
Not everyone can do that, though!
Leanna and I don’t have kids currently which was why I was able to jump in head first and see what happens. Turns out hard work has correlated to increasing revenues.
But alas…none of this explains my why….
Finding My Why
Growing up in an entrepreneur household definitely shaped my outward view of the world. My parents started a small manufacturing business that grew to be just shy of a 10 million a year company.
Hearing stories of my dad making his products in the garage and then selling them on the side could be the most inspiring story on the planet!
He literally created something from nothing which lead to a trend in the construction industry and later… profits. There is a second half of this story which would go on to shape my identity for years to come and I still think this way today.
Recession That Took No Prisoners
In 2005, Carson’s Coatings (our family company), had 100 employees and product flying off the shelf. But when the economy collapsed, Carson’s Coatings fell hard.
100 employees turned into 7 in a matter of months and all productions basically came to a halt. Talk about panic in the air.
There was no plan B because they had no way to plan for this kind of recession. My parents, just to keep the lights on, went through all of their savings (almost a quarter of a million dollars). Let’s just say, we went from hero to zero in a year.
No money, no customers, and no idea how to maintain the status quo of the company. I was a young adult not really understanding what was happening at first.
Watching my parents cry and fight over the future was heartbreaking at times. I learned very quickly the power of a dollar and my attitude changed with it.
Monetizing Obsession
When you watch your parents lose almost everything, it really hits you. Once I got out of college it was like a fire was lit.
I became obsessed with making money. It became my pseudo-why because I am determined to build it all back and keep it.
I have no idea what it’s going to look like, but I have to do it.
Ever since then, I strive to work harder than everyone around me and I refuse to quit. I am fine with failure, but I refuse to give up on my dreams.
My journey to forming The Carson Group has not been easy. It took us five years to get to this point and the business just opened in February of 2019.
My Why
My why is having something to prove to myself and my family. I know that may sound a little weird or maybe broad. But to me it means this:
- I want to build a company that can last through any recession.
- If in a recession, I want to continue to make more money.
But I still feel like I wake up and I am missing something. However, I don’t think that is a bad thing. I feel this journey is just beginning and the best is yet to come.
The Impact of Finding Your Why
What is your “why”? Why do you do what you do or what are you doing to achieve your why?
Leave a comment or send me a message with what motivates you! I am on a mission to find my why and I hope I can be a resource for you in your endeavors.
Learn more about Simon Sinek’s message here.
