Part 2: Five questions entrepreneurs must ask

Earlier this week I posted about the 5 questions every entrepreneur must ask and today we’re going to dig into the first question.

Before we do that, here are the 5 questions I shared with you in that post again:

1. Who am I
2. Where do I belong
3. What do I contribute
4. How did I get here
5. Where am I going

Asking these questions and knowing the answers to them for both yourself and your business is paramount in truly getting where you want to go.

Why? Because when you have a solid understanding of yourself and your desires AND know how to reach the goals you’ve set for yourself, actually hitting those goals and making your dreams come true is so much simpler.

It’s like going on a roadtrip with a GPS system programmed with your route and stops you’d like to make as opposed to just jumping in the car and making a go of getting to your destination.

While you might get there in the latter scenario – and it might start out as fun – it becomes frustrating when you make wrong turns, get delayed, experience mishaps, and end up miles from where you originally intended.

Knowing these answers is the bridge between the gap, just like your GPS is the bridge between getting from here to there safely, happily, and in one piece.

So, let’s talk about the first question, shall we?

You’d think the first question would be #1, right? But, we actually START with question #4 – how did I get here?

And the reason for that is because knowing how you got to where you are is helpful in understanding everything that comes next.

I actually created a whole course on this question because it’s that important! In this email though, I’ll condense it down for you. . .

Now, figuring out how you got here isn’t about digging up all the stuff in the past or making you feel bad. It’s about realizing how far you’ve already come and course-correcting so that you get where you really want to go.

It’s about starting where you ARE.

So, take out your journal or open a new document on your computer. Then briefly list the things you’ve already accomplished on this journey.

Next, think back to WHY you started your business (or why you want to start one). Was it for health reasons? To raise a family and be home with the kids? To provide financial stability for yourself and/or your family? Was it to create something bigger than yourself? Something that felt more true and resonant to you?

Journal it out. Remind yourself of all the reasons you chose to walk the path you’re on. And if you’re NOT on the path you want to be on, that’s ok. Don’t stress! We’ll cover that in another section of this series.

After you’ve journaled that out, I want you to think about your “end game” so to speak. What is your destination? What dreams do you have for your business? What dreams do you have for your life?

Maybe it’s to give back to your community. Maybe it’s to pass something amazing on to your children. Or to allow you to retire early and enjoy traveling and fun experiences you might not otherwise get a chance to do.

Whatever your destination, your end game, write it all out so it feels tangible and in the works. And then let’s stop there for today.

Next time, we’ll talk about question 5 – where am I going? And as you can probably see if you’ve done this exercise, you’re already halfway through that piece.