You’re building your career. Putting in the hours, doing the work, learning and creating and fighting the good fight.

Why do you do it?

Please don’t say “money”. Sure, money is important but only insofar as it allows you to do something you couldn’t do, or do as well, without it.

You want to earn a certain amount so that. . . (fill in the blank with something important).

For some, money means independence. No longer having to answer to someone who doesn’t appreciate what they do. For others, money means being able to move to a safer neighborhood to raise their kids. Some want to take care of aging or ill parents. Some want to help their church. Some want to change the world.

The money is a means to an end, and it’s important to know that end because that’s what drives you.

We all tend to focus on “how” but “why” is much more important.

You can learn everything there is to learn about how to be a good lawyer, how to bring in more clients, or how to increase your income. But if your “why” isn’t strong enough. . . you might not use what you learn.

It’s all about your “why”.

When your kid needs life-saving surgery and your insurance doesn’t cover it, you get up early, work late, get out of your comfort zone, and never make excuses. You’ll do whatever it takes to pay for that surgery.

You probably won’t if you just want a nicer car or a bigger house.

Be honest. Where are you right now, career-wise? Are you hitting your goals? Are you doing the activities you said you would do when you created those goals?

If you’re not, it’s probably not because you don’t know “how”. It’s because you don’t have a strong enough “why”.

So I’ll ask you again, why do you do what you do?