As someone who speaks, coaches, and trains in the recruiting industry, I often hear the same initial questions when people approach me: “How do you hire new recruiters? How do you manage your time? What’s the best way to grow my business?”

These are excellent questions, and when I first began coaching, I would dive into detailed answers. However, over time I realized that despite giving solid, actionable advice, many people weren’t implementing it. They would agree with the suggestions during our strategy sessions but fail to take action later. This led me to ask: Why?

Have you ever received valuable advice, walked away excited, only to leave it gathering dust in your “someday” folder? If so, you’re not alone. The problem isn’t the quality of the advice—it’s the disconnect between knowing how to do something and understanding why you should do it.

Once I recognized this, I adjusted my approach, and the results were almost immediate. My clients began implementing what they had learned within days, not months.

The Power of Knowing Your “Why”

Learning the “how” is easy. There are plenty of resources and experts who can teach you techniques that will boost your results. But none of that knowledge will stick unless you truly understand why it matters to you on a personal level. Without that deeper motivation, there’s little urgency to follow through.

I’m not talking about surface-level reasons, like wanting to grow your firm to increase revenue. That’s a given. But my follow-up question is always: Why do you want to grow your firm? And, more specifically, how much revenue are you aiming for?

When clients tell me they want to hit a million in gross revenue, my next question is: “How much of that will you keep as profit?” The truth is, most don’t know. Even among those who do, when I ask how much they’ll keep after taxes, almost no one has an answer.

This is why understanding your “why” is crucial. You need to know exactly how your profits will impact your life. How will those after-tax dollars serve you? Without a clear, personal vision, there’s no regret when you miss your target. And without that sense of loss, it’s easy to stop putting in the effort when the going gets tough.

A Quick Test

Here’s a simple way to check if this is happening in your business. Think about the amount of revenue your office needs to generate each month to cover both personal and business expenses. Do you feel a sense of relief when you hit that number? My guess is that this figure is lower than your stated goal. If that’s the case, and you feel relaxed once you’ve covered your bills, then you’ve settled for less than your true potential.

Shifting Your Focus to the Bigger Picture

To fix this, start thinking long-term. Ask yourself:

• “If I had no limitations, what would my recruiting firm look like in three to five years?”
• “What kind of lifestyle would I be living?”
• “How would I give back to the community?”
• “What would I be doing with my family?”
• “What does financial security look like to me, specifically?”

Each of these questions could have many answers, and it’s important to write them down. From there, figure out what it will take to achieve these goals. Add these long-term objectives to your monthly financial targets. That way, you won’t feel comfortable until you’ve met both your personal and professional goals.

The key is to discover the deeper reason behind what you want to achieve. Once you know your “why,” the “how” becomes much easier. And fortunately, there are plenty of resources available to help you get there.