Topic

Define Your Why

Topic Progress:

Defining and knowing your “why” is the single most important thing you need to do to establish your influence. Your why is a deep motivation for doing what you do. It’s bigger than yourself. It has nothing to do with the what or the how. In fact until you can get really clear on your why, the what and how will have you spinning in circles, chasing every paid opportunity that you see. I hear a lot of bloggers say, “I want to be a full-time pet blogger.”

WHY? What does that even mean? WHY do you want to blog full-time? What is your purpose?

Let’s re-frame the statement, “I want to be a full-time pet blogger,” with a why in this example:

“I want to save the lives of animals by educating people about the power of rescue through the content on my blog.”

See how powerful that is? That WHY statement will power you through the days when you feel like giving up.

“Your why should make you cry.”

Action Plan

Find a quiet place without any distractions and take out a pen and notebook. Answer the following questions:

  1. What are you passionate about?
  2. What are you an expert at? What professional background do you have?
  3. What has impacted your life that you’d like to share with others?
  4. How do you want to help and inspire others?
  5. What do you want to be known for?

Comments

  1. Dash

    Our why seems to be shifting. We continue to educate and help, but we are using video a lot more, and aim to use screencasts to get our message across. I am still not 100% happy about our blog’s focus. I have a sneaking feeling a need to narrow in. Then my why will be easier to see, I think….

    1. Aimee Post author

      You bring up a great point. Our why is always subject to change or better yet, evolve. Keep doing the work b/c it’s in the work that you will discover your true purpose.

  2. Claire

    I realized after two years of mini challenges with BlogPaws, BlogTalks, practice, that my main goal is to educate people about living with cats, and share our daily life, not monetizing. I’ve been blogging since 2012, and the focus became clear around 2015 only. Monetizing a blog is a ton of work, and if you have a job, it is possible, but you have to make choices. I made my choices according to my lifestyle and to my priorities.

    1. Aimee Post author

      That’s so awesome Claire. Great point to reiterate that making money does not have to be a goal of your blog.

  3. Amber

    My “why” as to “why I want to be a full-time blogger” is multifaceted. I want to be a full-time dog blogger so I am able to reach more pet parents and help more dogs/people. I also want to be a full-time blogger so I have the ability to watch my two little boys grow up while still assisting with supporting my family. I have a doctorate and a wealth of experience and I have never felt so ‘at home’ in my heart as I do when I am blogging.

  4. Stephanie

    1. I am passionate about my family, being a counselor, therapy dogs and exploring the world.
    2. My professional background is that I am a mental health counselor and I know that a dog in a session is very powerful. I want to make discussing mental health or any of life’s challenges comfortable and less stressful. So, my focus will mainly be on Therapy Dogs (training, off duty fun and caring for them) with a bit about mental health topics.
    3. Having grown up with dogs and struggling through typical family problems while having depression paves the way to a deep understanding of the relationship between these two things. My childhood dogs were me comfort, support and happiness.
    4. I want to help and inspire other by showing them how to become a Therapy Dog Team, actively doing volunteer work with my TD and documenting it.
    5. I want to be known for my work in Animal Assisted Therapy/Therapy dogs and for making discussing mental health or any of life’s challenges comfortable and less stressful.

  5. Alicia

    1. I am passionate about the human-animal bond and teaching people how to live their best lives with their animal companions.
    2. I have been involved with animal rescue my entire life – working with herding breeds (border collies, australian shepherds, and cattle dogs specifically) I have over a decade’s experience as a veterinary technician, and have worked as a dog trainer and behaviorist helping shelter dogs find their adoptive homes. I am also a professional educator and a designer.
    3. For several years I had a wonderful, sweet black lab named Bea who I trained as a service and therapy dog. She went to work with me everyday in the classroom and helped numerous children become calm and confident readers, reduce their school and social anxiety, and learn how to properly care for animals.
    4. I want to inspire others to develop healthy, respectful partnerships with their animal companions. To be able to take care of their health, train them in fun and innovative ways, and give back to their community through rescue, therapy, or humane education work.
    5. I want to be known for connecting people with fantastic products for their pets, designing and making high-quality pet accessories, and educating people on living with animals.

  6. Lori Carbonneau

    My goal is to encourage more dog owners to become pet therapy dog owners! I want to share the joy that it brings to Bear and I when we visit with those who need a smile. We visit several assisted living facilities as well as schools where the children read to Bear, or I read the children’s book that I wrote. Bear is the star of the story and the students delight in meeting the main character!

    1. Aimee Post author

      Hi Lori. That’s great! Will you share with them everything that is required to become a therapy dog? There’s a ton of useful content that you can create!

  7. Kerry & Valentine

    Even though I started my website/blog at the end of 2015, I’m taking this course as a review and to see what direction I want to take my blog to if different than when I first started it. I will also help me review what I’ve learned along the way in the course of the past few years.