Finding Your Why

This data was originally featured in the May 15th, 2024 newsletter found here: INBOX INSIGHTS, MAY 15, 2024: FINDING YOUR WHY, MARKETING HIRING SLUMP CONTINUES

FINDING YOUR “WHY” AND MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

Expectations are a funny thing. The ones we put on ourselves, and the ones that others put on us. It’s easy to fall into the trap of what we’re expected to do.

If you will, please indulge me for a moment, and then I’ll get to the point.

Last weekend, I celebrated my birthday. Every year, on my birthday, I make a wish for myself. This wish is an intention, something to help me keep growing. My wish for myself is to stop creating false expectations. To stop trying to meet the expectations of others. This was a result of a conversation with someone who said that what I was doing wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough; I wasn’t meeting the expectations that they had put on me. When I was younger, I would be spiraling, trying to figure out how to fix the situation. How to be more. How to do more. As an adult with a pretty good head on my shoulders, I know that I am doing enough. That the person who feels like I’m not enough is their expectation, not mine. And I don’t have to meet it.

Thanks for that; I wanted to give some context.

The point being, we, as humans, are under constant pressure to live up to expectations that have been put on us. Whether we put them there or someone else did, we feel like we’re constantly failing. We’re falling behind. There is pressure to keep grinding and do more.

Look at what’s happening with generative AI right now. The expectation is that if you’re not a power user, you’re behind.

But who is setting that expectation? Is it the narrative we’re telling ourselves? Are we feeling this pressure from our peers and competitors?

Generative AI is still dominating the conversation. It’s hard to escape. Generative AI has infiltrated just about every aspect of our lives. Does that mean that we have to take part?

Are we doing enough?

There is no right answer here. This is where expectations enter the conversation. There are two sets of expectations to pay attention to. Those that we put on ourselves, and those that others put on us.

You cannot control the expectations that others put on you. Sorry if that’s not what you wanted to hear. But you can’t.

You can, however, control your own expectations. My good friend Donna Mostrom, a content writer, said, “So many people ask if I’m using AI for my writing. And yes, I am, but I don’t use it to write for me. Because it doesn’t fit my ‘why’.”

Donna points out that using generative AI does not fit her “why”. She asked herself, “Why am I using generative AI? What is the benefit?” She concluded that it was not the right solution to her problem. So, the expectations of using generative AI are coming from others, not her.

If you want to do something, like use generative AI, make sure you know why. This is true of any action you take in business and in life. A good place to start is the Trust Insights 5P Framework. This will help you understand your “why” and set expectations that you are in control of.

The 5Ps are Purpose, People, Process, Platform, and Performance. In this instance, finding your “why”, you want to spend the most time detailing out your purpose. Start with questions such as:

• What is the problem I’m trying to solve?
• What is the question I’m trying to answer?
• Is this even something I want to do?

Start here. Do your answers speak to your needs, or the needs of someone else?

When generative AI first became publicly available, a lot of my clients said, “We have to use it!” But there was no clear “why”. When I asked more questions, the responses I received were all similar in theme. They wanted to stay competitive. They didn’t want to fall behind. They wanted to do what everyone else was doing. They felt that they would be expected to use it.

These responses are a good start, but they are not specific enough. This is the trap of false expectations. Dig deeper. If you want to stay competitive, what problem are you trying to solve? Are you losing clients? Is your revenue declining? If you don’t want to fall behind, what is the problem you’re trying to solve? Are your processes outdated? Does your team lack specific skills? If you are expected to use it, what problem are you being asked to solve?

Here’s my big caveat – you will always have expectations from others. If you work in a company or on a team where you are serving the needs of the business, you have expectations put on you. That’s normal. My point with this post is to remind you that you have some say in how deep you want to go.

Generative AI is the shiny object of the moment. The problem is that we already have so much on our plates; it feels like one more thing to do. Sure, it could help us find efficiencies and take some tasks away. But there is still a learning curve and onboarding that needs to happen.

This is why I want you to find your “why”. This is why I want you to understand where the expectations are coming from. AI is a great tool and a solid solution for many companies. However, it’s not going to be for everyone. It can also be a distraction. It can be a waste of resources and overcomplicate processes that were fine.

Challenge your expectations of why you’re using generative AI. Ask more questions of those who want you to integrate it. The tools are changing so rapidly; it’s easy to get swept away with the hype.

Start with your “why”. Is it a why you feel comfortable with? Is it a why you can build a process around? Is it a why you have the people for? Is it a why you can measure? Use the 5P Framework to help get at those answers. At the end of the day, all you can do is manage expectations.

How are you managing expectations? Reply to this email to tell me or come join the conversation in our Free Slack Group, Analytics for Marketers.

– Katie Robbert, CEO