He was a farmer for a while, hated it with a passion by all accounts.

Then he was, at one time or another, a rail-splitter, boatman, storekeeper, postmaster and a surveyor. He even considered becoming a blacksmith at one point. He was also part-owner in a business that went bankrupt, although he didn't walk away from his debts. His life had many twists and turns until, nearing 30, he found something that he was passionate about. And that passion, coupled with his undoubted talents, meant he became a very good lawyer. But it wasn't until his early fifties that he achieved his ultimate goal. . .

Not everyone finds it easy to figure out what their passion in life is and Abraham Lincoln was no exception. When he did find what he was looking for, he achieved great things, and more specifically, when he found that his calling was to work to abolish slavery, the true measure of the man was seen.

In fact, when he could answer WDYDWYD?, nothing held him back.

WDYDWYD?, or Why do you do what you do? is probably one of the most important questions we should all ask ourselves. It has always been a vital concern, but has certainly grown in popularity in recent years and is now widely used as a reflection exercise on management development programmes. When you ask people what it is they do, they can usually tell you quite easily and eloquently; in fact, let them continue uninterrupted and they can go on for some time, regaling you about what they do, how they do it, who they do it with, and indeed, who for.

Funnily enough, though, when you ask them why it is they do what they do, a lot of people are stumped. Many managers, regardless of level or age, struggle with the why. Usually, the attempted answer begins with a fair bit of fidgeting, or with smart comments such as "You know, I ask myself all the time why I bother…," which is later followed by a moment of silence until words such as ambition, responsibility, passion eventually begin to flow. For most, once they begin to think about it, they realize that there is actually quite a strong why there; and that is where their sense of fulfillment comes from. For some, the reality of the emptiness of what they do dawns on them, but that of itself can open new doors in their lives.

The real secret to success is not a secret at all. It hasn't been hidden somewhere for thousands of years and Dr. Phil didn't invent it either. It is simply about knowing your why and then using, or enhancing your talents, to make the most of the drive that the why gives you.

If the answer to your why doesn't roll off the tongue at this point, no worries, you are not alone, but you should spend some time trying to figure it out: the concern is not that you can't figure out your why this instant, the real worry would be if you didn't care about finding it.

Enda Larkin has over 25 years experience in the hotel industry having held a number

of senior management positions in Ireland, UK and the US. In 1994 he founded HTC Consulting, a Geneva based firm, which specialises in working with enterprises in hospitality and tourism. Since that time, he has led numerous consulting projects for public and private sector clients throughout Europe and the Middle East. He is author of Ready to Lead? (Pearson/Prentice Hall 2007), How to Run a Great Hotel (How to Books 2009), 'Quick Win' Leadership (Oak Tree Press 2010) and Journeys – Short Stories and Tall Tales for Managers which is due to be published in March 2012. He may be contacted via www.htc- consult.com or at [email protected]. Read his Blog at www.htc-consult.com/new/blog

Enda Larkin
HTC Consulting
+41 (0) 22 700 8675
HTC Consulting