Every year, thousands of people become entrepreneurs. It’s a challenging road, one filled with harsh reality checks, unexpected turns and a great deal of financial and emotional strain. So why do so many people opt for this lifestyle in the first place?

If you’re reading this article, you’re likely either an entrepreneur already,  or you’re considering becoming one. If that’s the case, do you know the real reasons why you’re doing it in the first place?

It seems like a silly question. After all, there are some obvious benefits to entrepreneurship. But not all of them may be important to you, and some of them may be affecting your decision making without you realizing it.

Better understanding your own motivations can help you in a number of areas of entrepreneurial development:

Direction:  First, understanding your personal motivations for being an entrepreneur will help you direct the business in the right direction. For example, if you’re looking for a challenge, you may drive the business in new, unconventional areas, but if you’re more interested in preserving a healthier, flexible work-life balance, you may prefer keeping things in a more conservative balance.

Clarity: Identifying your personal motivations can also help you explain why certain choices appeal to you more, or why certain things are affecting you in a positive or negative way. For example, if money is a major motivation of yours, you may be more affected by short-term losses.

Morale: Finally, knowing what you want can help you get what you want, and keep your morale especially high in the process. When you have a good idea of your needs, you can work harder to fulfill those specific needs, and worry less about everything else that’s going on.

With that being said, you may need a helping hand to figure out exactly what your motivations are.