It’s interesting to talk to people about purpose in business. I often refer to Simon Sinek’s Golden Circles, which is a good way to explore purpose with clients, particularly when working with a group. It’s not very often that we stop to ask ourselves why we work. Much of the time it’s about the paycheck. Being about the paycheck is no bad thing, but purpose is the thing that really matters.
I’ve been exploring what matters to me, as this has significantly evolved over the last few years with big life changes. For me, what matters is being able to do work that provides for my family, work that makes a positive impact on the lives of others, and work that enables others to unlock all of their goodness and power to live a fulfilled life.
I believe that societal change comes from each individual making a choice to bring their best self; by doing so, we sow good seeds and we live happier, which in turn makes for a better world. Much of the harm that’s done in this world is down to hard hearts, anger and jealousy. Much of this could be solved if people felt fulfilled, and in turn had the energy and desire to do good for others. If we extended the hand of love more, we would see a better world. That starts with loving and caring for our own beings first – not in a selfish way but in a loving, nurturing way. Working with a coach enables you to see the power and goodness you have within… and that’s why I love what I do and why I do what I do.
We were put on this earth to be good and do good, and as more people tap into that we will see a better world. It may sound simple and idealistic, but this is where my hope lies.
When I am delivering coaching programmes, I propose that purpose is something that evolves over time, depending on your life stage and life circumstance. There is a school of thought that says career purpose remains steady (ref. Edgar Schien: he talks about career anchors and suggests that these do not change, consistently guiding roles and development throughout a person’s lifetime). From my personal experience, purpose most certainly evolves.
I encourage clients to check in with themselves particularly as life is changing. It’s easy to get caught running on the hamster wheel of life. I would rather see you walking a path you love, with conscious time to stop and review and reassess. This helps you face each season with your eyes and heart open.
So, how do you find what really matters?
Make time to journal. Daily if you can: just write 3 things you are grateful for, or 3 things you’ve achieved and how they make you feel. They can be as small as spending time in nature, having a meal with your family, meditating each day, or big like landing a contract or completing a project. When you start to write down what you’re grateful for, you get clearer on what matters to you. Then, think beyond what you’re doing, about who you are in the world and what the legacy is that you want to leave. Imagine your life in 5, 10,15 years… what do you want people to say about the difference you made, what will you have that you are really grateful for? What will be present in your life? Take some time to meditate on these questions and journal what comes up.
How can you build this into your work?
It’s about being intentional. What are your values, your ‘non negotiables’ in life? From what you discovered through journaling, what difference do you want to make, and how do you want people to remember you? Use these as an internal compass or sat nav.
Then, create an action plan each week of 5 things you want to accomplish that moves you toward, or aligns you with, what really matters. The action plan can be ‘big’ things, but it’s as important to incorporate the ‘little’ things too: connecting with friends and family, making time to stop and breathe in nature. These actions help you to stay on purpose.
Regularly revisit and review
We often don’t take time to reflect; make a point of doing this.
As we approach the end of the year there will be lots of talk about review and planning. This is great, but how about making that a regular part of what you do, not just an end-of-year or beginning-of-year thing? As you move through life’s seasons take time to look at how far you’ve come as this can be fuel to keep powering ahead. Remember to tap into your support network, be that physical, emotional or spiritual.
Creating the life you love
There is a special kind of JOY that comes from knowing that you are doing work that really matters, and that you are acting and being on purpose. Living in line with what’s really important to you, taking time to celebrate, and routinely reviewing what makes you feel more empowered will keep you in the driver’s seat of your life. And whilst life brings different seasons, good and bad, being tapped into who you are, what you bring, and what’s important helps you to find your joy in all circumstances. This is the kind of JOY that’s felt deep inside, so give yourself a gift and allow yourself to cultivate some of that for yourself. When that joy comes from within, you’ll see the ripple effect through that life you will love.
Imagine a world where we all do this - in our work, in our relationships, in our self-care, in our hobbies and down-time. Imagine the difference it could really make.
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