Kayleigh-May's Digital Digest

Unveiling Your Why: Ikigai and the Heart of Your Business Vision

Dear Lovely Readers, Navigating the roadmap of entrepreneurship requires a compass that points to your true north—your why. It’s the pulsating heart of every business and the secret sauce to staying motivated when the entrepreneurial journey feels like a climb up the Eiffel Tower… in heels. Discovering Your Personal Goals and Ambitions Short Term Sizzles…

Kayleigh-May De Cecco
3–5 minutes
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Dear Lovely Readers,

Navigating the roadmap of entrepreneurship requires a compass that points to your true north—your why. It’s the pulsating heart of every business and the secret sauce to staying motivated when the entrepreneurial journey feels like a climb up the Eiffel Tower… in heels.

Discovering Your Personal Goals and Ambitions

Short Term Sizzles and Long Term Glows

Sparkling short-term goals meet your dazzling long-term aspirations here. Think of short-term goals as the fabulous appetizers to the grand feast of your long-term dreams. They’re the necessary prelude to the symphony of your success.

Crafting SMART Goals

Get specific with SMART goals, the runway to your dreams. Ensure every step is poised with intention, measurable achievements, and relevant to your overarching vision. These goals will keep you moving forward with clarity and pizzazz.

Example:
Let’s say we are launching a photography business, and we want to write a smart short-term goal;

Specific: I will launch my photography business focused on corporate and personal events.

Measurable: I will measure my launch success by securing at least 5 client bookings and setting up a professional website with a portfolio of my work.

Achievable: I will reach out to my network, attend local business events, and utilize social media marketing to promote my services and secure bookings.

Relevant: Starting this business will allow me to turn my photography skills into a sustainable career, aligning with my passion for capturing meaningful moments.

Time-bound: I will officially launch my photography business by June 1, 2024, with the website going live and the initial client bookings confirmed.

The SMART goal summarized would be:

“I will launch my photography business by June 1, 2024, targeting corporate and personal event photography. I’ll have a professional website showcasing my portfolio and secure at least 5 client bookings by leveraging my network, participating in local business events, and conducting a targeted social media marketing campaign.”

The Essence of Ikigai: Your Reason for Being

Enter the Japanese concept of “ikigai”—a reason for being that gives life a profound sense of purpose. Imagine waking up each morning, fueled by an invigorating passion that’s uniquely yours, leading you toward your own version of success. Let’s explore how ikigai intertwines with the fabric of your business essence.

Identifying Your Passion and Strengths

What makes you sparkle with passion? What strengths do you bring to the table that can outshine the competition? Identifying these gems will help you carve a niche in the marketplace that resonates with authenticity and allure.

Visualizing Your Ideal Future

Envision the future with vibrant colors of potential and possibility. This isn’t just about financial forecasts and market shares; it’s about painting a future that excites every fiber of your being, a future that feels just right.

Worksheet: Ikigai and Crafting Your Business Purpose

Ikigai Discovery

  1. What makes you leap out of bed each morning with joy?
  • Answer: ___

2. How can you use your gifts to enhance the lives of others?

  • Answer: ___

3. Reflect on your core values and how they can shape your business:

  • Core Value 1: ___
  • Core Value 2: ___
  • Core Value 3: ___

4. What are you willing to do, even if you look foolish to others?

  • Answer: ___

5. What do people trust you to help them with?

  • Answer: ___

6. For what would you willingly go the extra mile?

  • Answer: ___

Crafting Your ‘Why’ Statement

  1. Create your ‘why’ statement using the format: “To, so that .”
  • Your ‘Why’ Statement: ___

Ideal Future Visualization

  1. Describe your ideal future in vivid detail:
  • Your Ideal Future: ___

Cherished readers, your ‘why’ is your business’s soul song, the melody that plays softly in the background of every decision you make.

Ikigai Infographic: The confluence of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for – it’s the compass to your entrepreneurial North Star.
Ikigai Infographic: The confluence of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for – it’s the compass to your entrepreneurial North Star.

Reflect on the things you can do that make other people’s lives better, and the tasks you’d willingly do for love over money (though, darling, never underestimate your worth!). Use these insights to fuel your journey, remembering that time is the most exclusive luxury.

By understanding the layers of your ‘why’ and weaving it into the very fabric of your business plan, you’re not just building a brand; you’re creating a legacy. A legacy that speaks not just of profits and products, but of passion, purpose, and a dash of je ne sais quoi.

XOXO,
Kayleigh-May

References, (or further reading suggestions)

View at Medium.com
12 Steps to Discover What is Your Why?
IKIGAI English

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