Most successful innovations begin with a powerful reason. That’s what we call our purpose: our reason why. For many people, there could be many reasons why.

Someone could begin an innovation journey motivated by wanting to create a successful startup that ends up in a great exit. Research shows, however, that that same person motivated by solving a worthy problem is more likely to solve that problem, and ending up with a successful startup.

Harvard professor Teresa Amabile shown that when a person is intrinsically motivated to solve a problem, he or she will be more creative, more resilient, and will have more cognitive and emotional resources to face, endure and solve what’s necessary along the innovation journey.

Purpose fuels passion. Passion is what keep you afloat when things don’t go your way. If you firmly believe something has to be done, you have your purpose. Passion is the willingness to keep going when you are in the middle of the storm, because your purpose makes it worthy.

Discover your why. It will give more meaning to your days, and it will make your life easier.