Welcome to Issue 66 of Writing and Other Stuff, by me, Kim Scaravelli. I’m here to help you sharpen your brand voice, add sparkle to your writing, and fuel your creativity. If a friend sent this, high five them—and subscribe here!

WHY did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.

🐓I love the clarity of this chicken! Their WHY is simple, purposeful, and easy to explain.

Imagine yourself as the chicken: What's your WHY?

I know you're more complicated than the chicken. Your work and the WHY behind it can be complex. And your road might feel like a multi-lane highway, with high-speed traffic and confusing signage.

But here’s the truth: Understanding your WHY is the foundation of your professional brand voice.

You need to get clear on what drives you, because it shapes everything you share with the world. 💥Clarity fuels confidence and makes your brand voice REAL and memorable.

If your WHY is blurry, you're wandering that chaotic highway without direction, hoping people follow. But with a clear WHY, you’re striding across a well-lit crosswalk, to a purposeful destination!

Cool quote

“There are two ways to build a career or a business. We can go through life hunting and pecking, looking for opportunities or customers, hoping that something connects. Or we can go through life with intention, knowing what our piece looks like, knowing our WHY, and going straight to the places we fit.”

Simon Sinek

Ponder Your WHY!

It's important to stop "hunting and pecking" long enough to develop clarity about your WHY.

So find an hour. ☕️Pour a cuppa coffee, settle into a comfy chair, and ask yourself a few deep questions:

What problem or need are you passionate about solving, and why?
When do you feel most energized or “in flow” in your work?
If you could make one lasting impact on others through your work, what would it be?

Now Create Your Purpose Statement!

Here's a template to help you shape the results of your productive pondering into something clear and concise:

“I [describe your work briefly] because [your motivation]. I believe [core belief], so I’m committed to [desired impact or result].”

If you're looking for an example, here's mine:

“I help entrepreneurs, experts, and business leaders polish and refine their brand voice because REALNESS is a superpower. I believe that when communication is true to you, it sticks, so I'm committed to helping my clients find a voice that's unmistakably theirs."

🌟Note: When you're done, read it aloud. If it sounds too corporate, try again. Weed out jargon and puffed up words. Your purpose statement should feel personal!

Stuff Worth Sharing

If you’re exploring your WHY, this TEDTalk by Simon Sinek is a gem. In Start With Why, he explains why purpose is at the heart of great brands and leaders. It’s an oldie but a goodie!

For the Word Nerds

Meraki is a Greek word that means putting a piece of yourself—your passion, creativity, or love—into what you do because you understand why it matters.

It’s about diving into your work with heart, energy, and that little bit of extra oomph, because you’re on a mission, not just going through the motions.

🍻Here's to meraki! May we all find it and keep hold of it!

Thanks for reading. Hope you find time to ponder your WHY this week! See you again November 6th.

In the meantime...

🤔 Feel like your brand voice doesn't match who you are or where you're headed? Book a free 30-minute chat. We'll get it sorted!

💥 Want to learn how to write powerful brand content that sounds like YOU? Buy Making Words Work. It's an easy read. I promise!