The Power of Uncovering Your Business' “Kingdom Why”
Success isn't about pushing yourself to the point of burnout by doing "more" or rigidly sticking to an unrealistic routine in the name of discipline. Instead, success comes from identifying your next priority and applying just enough self-discipline to complete it before moving on. This next priority is like the lead domino—when you knock it down, it makes everything else easier.
The key to entrepreneurial success is finding that lead domino!
As Christian entrepreneurs, finding our kingdom why (and then daily re-connecting to it) is our lead domino.
What is a "kingdom why?"
The idea of defining "your why" comes from the best-selling business book "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek. The idea is that everything you do – whether you’re a business or a person – should have the same fundamental driving motivator. So if somebody started to question your actions (why do you do that? Why this? Why that?), eventually, you’d circle back to your main “Why” statement. It's your ultimate motivator and it's your compass for decision making and prioritization.
Here's an easy way to find your current business "why". Ask yourself: "what is the driving motivator that keeps me going in business when things get tough?" That's your why. It could be to put your kids through college, to have a 6+ figure income, to be able to buy a nicer house, to make a certain impact in the world, or to have something to pour yourself into as an outlet, and that's just a sampling of the many possible reasons. Those are all valid reasons to start a business! While we all have lots of things motivating us, we can only have one ULTIMATE reason. The driving motivator that will trump everything else. As Christians, we want that to be a "kingdom why". If we have another (even good!) motivator operating as our business' why, it will become twisted by selfishness. When we seek something other than the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), we will get off track. A kingdom why helps you to:
Understand that God values your work intrinsically
Understand how your specific business fits into what God is doing in the world
See your business' kingdom impact
Seek first the kingdom of God even as we pursue wealth building
As Christian entrepreneurs, finding our kingdom why (and then daily re-connecting to it) is our lead domino.
Here’s why: Entrepreneurs have so many voices telling us what our lead domino should be. There are a thousand business gurus who have differing opinions about the next step we should be taking. Who should we listen to? Should we be focusing on social media? Or maybe it’s funnels? Or Courses? Or maybe we should write a book, or run live challenges… ?
The list of possibilities is endless. And trying to do ALL the things at once is a recipe for burnout! But this is where we get to remember the good news: we have a good and kind Shepherd, Jesus. He has placed a CALLING on our lives, and he’s not a harsh master who expects more from us than we can do (Matt 25:24)! We get the privilege of being his stewards, and He is a gentle master who knows our frame (Psalm 103:14).
For a Christian, finding your lead domino is a two-step process.
First, you need to understand what God is calling you to in your particular season (your kingdom why)
Second, you need to determine the practical next steps for helping you get there. Your calling is the compass you will use for choosing the right next step. Skipping over that first step leaves room for our own desires, our sin, and the voices of others to clutter our minds, leaving us double-minded and unstable (James 1:8).
When we are clear on the things God is calling us to in this season, then the only question is how to get there, and that’s where the business experts can be helpful!
Here are 3 reasons why finding and connecting to your kingdom why on a daily basis is the first step in business success:
1. Steady Motivation The world’s motivation is like a roller coaster. It takes you on high highs but then crashes, because ultimately the world’s “why” is your own selfishness, not the kingdom of God. When we root our motivation for our business in what God is doing in the world and how we get to be a part of that, it creates a deep and lasting motivation that doesn’t need to constantly be pumped up again with another motivational podcast.
2. Build a Business That Has Kingdom Impact 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 talks about how someday our works will be tested, and only the things built on the foundation of Jesus will last into eternity. As believers, we want our businesses to be built on Jesus! As Christian entrepreneurs, we must ask ourselves: Are we building with gold, silver, and costly stones—those things that have eternal value in the Kingdom of God? Or are we building with wood, hay, and straw—worldly, selfish achievements that will burn away when tested? Your Kingdom Why ensures that the foundation of your business is built on Christ and His eternal purposes, not on the fleeting and selfish metrics of success the world offers.
3. Embrace the Hardships of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is hard! It is often a refining fire that exposes weaknesses, insecurities, and areas of sin in our lives. But this is exactly where sanctification happens. God uses the challenges of running a business to grow and refine us, shaping us more into the image of Christ. Like a piece of metal being hammered on an anvil, it’s uncomfortable and at times painful. Yet, this process of refinement is also a sweet opportunity to press into Jesus and to grow in our capability! When we face challenges, it’s tempting to want to give up. But the only way to stay steady under the pressure is to see those challenges as ways of connecting to Jesus, doorways through which we deepen our walk with Him!
Knowing your Kingdom Why is a tool that will guide you and help you to see the 80% that you DON’T need to be doing!
Your Kingdom Why is the compass that will motivate you, help you build a business that impacts the Kingdom of God, and help you weather the hardships of entrepreneurship without giving up.
When you are connected to your kingdom why and regularly rooting yourself in it, all the practical pieces of entrepreneurship will fall into place!
The Voca Society is here to help you do just that- carve out space to deepen and connect to your kingdom why daily! “Voca” is short for “vocation” which has the idea of God’s calling imbedded into the word. I want you to be so grounded in your calling from God that the world’s opinions about who you are and what you should be doing fall flat. Let’s build kingdom-impacting businesses together!
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