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In the pre-industrial world of farming, ploughing was done by hand and horse.

The furrow had to be kept straight as the horse pulled forward. It was hard, tiring work. Hands blistered, legs went sore. The farmer with their hands on the plough had to keep their eyes fixed ahead, because any diversion would bend the row, and a bent row caused problems across the whole field, the harvest, and consequently, their livelihood.

If the farmer started to grow anxious and look over his shoulder, or glance behind at the past, the row would bend. It was imperative to keep walking forward, eyes fixed on a target.

In today's world, the labour may have changed, but the meaning still holds. 

Think of the work you’ve started. Do you remember your original why - its genesis, the heartfelt purpose, the reasons it would make a difference to the world? You set your plough into the soil and began to toil. 

But halfway down the row, things wobble, questions occur, and doubts arise. Then, the pain of the work really begins to be felt.

Our hands may no longer be bloody or cracked, but we still know stress and tension; the need to finish the work, against the body's desire for rest. It’s as if endless rocks and stones thwart the path ahead. 

It is here where we need our why the most; it’s what gets us through.

So, when was the last time you dusted it off and reconnected with your why? It may have been months, years, or decades, and that's okay. 

In our transactional world, one seemingly without meaning, the why, the spark, the ignition of the heart, is where we find the nerves and sinew to keep going. But it is also an outstretched hand to help others.

What's my why? 

It's simply that I love people, and I want to help them, to serve them in their goals, be it a friend or colleague. It gives me joy.

As a mission-driven leader, you carry a great deal, and much of it you carry quietly. You know your work matters, and sometimes you struggle to say why in a way that lands. This is where my why meets yours.

I have recently been helping one of my clients, an Australian Carbon Project Developer, with a full review of their positioning and messaging. The client and I started like everyone else, with an overwhelming, bright white blank page, and after a solid few hours, she felt like we had got into the core depths of her imagination and the needs of her customers. You could see the weight fall off her shoulders. I felt on fire, this work has meaning.

But getting here has taken intentional effort, and a lot of listening, particularly to my heart, and the feedback from the people I serve. And boy, have I had my doubts. There have been many anxious times when I wanted to look back, and there are always stones in the path. But through it all, I had my why. 

Doubt is real. We can spend a lifetime looking for signals to confirm that our why is correct, that this is the right path. But to repeat my partner Olivia’s mantra, ‘it's not about making the right decision, it's about making the decision right’. That takes trust, grit, determination and faith to stick your plough, your why, into the ground and keep looking ahead.

What's your why? Does it need to be dusted off and brought back to the centre?

Warmly, 

Rob.

P.S. Do you need support pulling your why out? I’m happy to help. It doesn’t even need to be about work, but in life in general. This newsletter has already ignited some beautiful, heartfelt conversations. Just reply to this email, and we can pop the kettle on.

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