One of the things I love about online business (and all home business) are the stories you hear.

Everybody that gets into this industry has a story...

For some it's needing to be at home to care for a loved one.

Others have an economic impetus - needing more money, or even losing a job.

Still others (and I'm really in this category) are just responding to a voice within themselves that says something along the lines of "You are not wired to work for somebody else."

A lot of marketers call it their "Why".  In other words the reason why they wanted change badly enough to make it happen.  The thing that kept them going while they were building their business.

It's a known fact:  Your likelihood of success in home (or online) business is directly proportional to the strength of your Why.

And the best Whys usually involve other people, in many cases family.

One of the leaders in our industry often tells a story about his Why.  This gentleman, whose name is John, used to work at Home Depot.  His Why was that he wanted to get to eat Cheerios with his kids in the morning.  Obviously having to be at Home Depot at whatever hour they opened got in the way of that.

Eating Cheerios with his kids.  A perfect Why.

Management Theory teaches about having "SMART" goals.  SMART is an acronym for:

  Specific
  Measurable
  Attainable
  Realistic
  Timely

"Eating Cheerios with my kids" perfectly conforms with all 5 criteria.

But it also carries the magical sixth criteria... Emotional attachment.  It is something that John was for obvious reasons strongly invested in emotionally.

Many of us in the business love hearing John talk about his Why.  He often alludes to it on conference calls and training sessions that he leads, and it is a powerful reminder of our own reasons Why (and proof that Whys are attainable).

But yesterday for me something very special happened...  My wife and I got to join John's family for dinner at their home.

Hanging out by the grill, playing with the family dog, getting to meet his wife and children, getting the home tour, etc.  A great time was had with a good friend and his family (not to mention that John is a monster on the grill and dinner was out of sight).

But at a certain point in the evening something very profound happened to me.

I had a realization...

These are the kids.  The ones that eat the Cheerios.

This is John's reason why and I'm getting to be present for it.

And suddenly it wasn't just a story on a conference call.  It was real.

Those Cheerios in the pantry... those are THE famous Cheerios.

And John is the guy that wanted to be with his family badly enough to do the work to have a different life.

And this is the family that knows of (and supported along the way) the sacrifices John made to get them to this place where they now live in this beautiful home, in this pastoral setting, with John as a full-time part of their lives.

And you could feel it in the home... a real sense of peace and blessing.

And it was really positive to be around.  And when I left I really felt good.

I got to see firsthand what happens when people have a strong, emotionally significant, SMART goal, and a passion to achieve it.

And it's amazing to see.

The only thing I can think of to compare it to is imagine watching one of those uplifting "Based on a True Story" movies.  Something like Rudy (1993) or World Trade Center (2006).

Then imagine meeting Rudy Ruetigger in person.  Or one of the firemen from the Trade Center.

And then go back and watch the movie again.  How much more vivid would those stories be if you knew the players?

That's how I felt when I left.

And as passionate as I was about online business before, this has made me even more so.

These stories are real.  Real people are affected.

Helping people find their Why and giving them tools to help achieve it is a very real way to change the world.

John changed the world.  For his family, for his community, and for people who are inspired by his demonstration of what is possible.

I am changing the world.

Your turn.