“Living My Why” by Tanya Gaffon

Here at The Marketing Spaces, we talk about your ‘whys’ a lot – why your business exists and why clients should choose you rather than another option.

Following a conversation between our CEO & Founder, Kara Stanford, and fellow strategic marketer Tanya Gaffon, Kara asked Tanya to explain to our Community how ‘owning’ her why has changed – and strengthened – Tanya and her business.

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From Tanya’s LinkedIn Profile:

“I was born different. It’s a gift, although I haven’t always accepted it as such. With no lens in my right eye, I see the world differently, literally and figuratively.

Thanks to this gift, I am exceptionally resourceful, having been compelled from a young age to look for alternatives when what others take for granted doesn’t apply, which has often been the case.

I carry compassion and empathy within me, too, borne from being marked out as different and subjected to experiences I would not wish on others. At the same time, these experiences have granted me an insight that only enriches my perspective of the world.”

When was the last time you took time out to think, “Why am I doing this?” “What drives me?” “Can I do things better or differently?”

My life has been through lots of change recently, prompting me to revisit why I do what I do and consider whether there are alternative ways to approach it. 

Greater truth and openness

What I learned from this process is that, at its core, my WHY hasn’t changed. Deep down, I have always been driven to make a difference. Yet, instead of owning it, I have shied away from the real reason I find making a difference so important. 

My experiences of being different. 

Of having a physical disability that sets me apart.

It was time to stop holding back.

Life is precious

What brought about this sudden boldness and change of heart? In short, the stark realisation that life is precious, and it can suddenly be taken away from you, whether partially or completely. 

In response, I have stopped hiding my difference and have begun to embrace and shout about it. Notably its role in my desire to make a difference.

Where does this come from? My difference is obvious; I see it every time I look in the mirror. But why am I so driven to make a difference? That’s more deeply hidden. I guess the odds were stacked against me ever since I was in the womb. 

It started with a virus that caused irreparable damage to one of my eyes and, once I was born, continued with a series of seizures leading to doctors suggesting I be baptised early, just in case. Then I stopped breathing in my pram.  

Despite the odds, I am still here. Why not make it count?

Greater flexibility

In short, my WHY hasn’t changed, but HOW I go about fulfilling it certainly has, thanks to taking that bold step. As well as being more open about the origins of my WHY, I am better able to explain to the world and myself why I am drawn to working with certain types of people and, crucially, why they are drawn to me. 

On the surface, these people and the businesses and organisations they represent might seem very different, as is the nature of the work I undertake, be it strategic marketing, helping out with bits of marketing activation, ghostwriting or cause-led awareness raising, but like me, the people I work with are all driven to make a difference in their own way. Another advantage is that it has afforded me greater flexibility in the type of work I take on. 

A fire in your belly

What’s more, it has motivated me to become more open about who I am, my insecurities and my failures, which, contrary to my fears, has been liberating and has drawn people closer rather than, as I feared, push them away.

You only have one life. You may know your why, but what is really driving it? When you repeat it to yourself, does it light a fire in your belly? Maybe you are like I was, tiptoeing around the real driver to your why. Stop. Step into it, embrace it and really start living it.

From someone who has been there, trust me. You won’t regret it.  

Your turn 

Start by looking at why you say you do what you do, then probe deeper. What’s really driving you?

You’ll be fascinated by what you discover and amazed that once you have, how easy it is to live your WHY.

Need some encouragement? Follow my journey on LinkedIn. Connect with me, explore my profile, and look out for my posts.