Recently, I had lunch with a chairman of a very creative communications organization. This gentleman is a true renaissance man. He quotes the Greek philosophies, the Jesuits, and is a focused and inspiring business leader.
We discussed how we all work as hard as we do and why we do it. Of course, this is a very thoughtful and introspective quest.
What I experience is most driven business executives are much too busy to pursue such a heavy endeavor or contemplate such a soul-searching topic. The question before the house is: What is purpose? It is defined as “an intended or desired result, determination, resolution, an accomplishment, a reason.”
I like this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson on the subject: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
To me, that is the job description for today’s leaders. Their role is to serve and contribute and make things better! At the end of the day (and we all will have an end of the day), I want to know that I contributed more than I criticized.
The purpose of purpose generates spirit, energy, enthusiasm and joy! It is not difficult to make good decisions when you know what your purpose is. A higher purpose of being is a strong professional motivator. I submit that meaningful purpose is the untapped resolve to engaging today’s work force. Let’s face it – we all seek purpose.
In life there are many things that catch our eye, but only a few will truly catch your heart. That is the essence of true purpose. Passion and purpose are close-knit family members. Purpose is our personal GPS system in life, and passion is the engine that drives us to our aspirations and dreams!
It is quite difficult to move forward when one is unclear where they are headed. Helen Keller said, “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”
The reality is leaders impact us and indeed change our lives. They guide us in our quest to find true purpose, invest in our talents and help us discover our true passion. Reflect on the leader or person who made you who you are today. What did they teach you? Look back at these wonderful experiences and savor them.
We all treasure the individual who taught us to have strong personal values, to do our homework, to brush our teeth, to be on time and the value of hard work. All of these wonderful characteristics are solid bricks on the road to purpose.
As children, we have an insatiable curious view of life and an unrelenting quest to learn. By defining our personal and professional purpose, we open the door to freedom. Of course, this journey requires making adequate time for contemplation and reflection. The person who has no doubt will achieve very little.
Executives today live busy lives and have tremendous job responsibilities and pressures, which demand hard and fast decisions, concessions and measurable results. We have all heard a top executive say in a meeting, “Get to the bottom line.” Without a true purpose in life, you do not have a bottom line.
Engaging in explanatory, free flowing and introspective thoughts provides us with perspective and raises such questions as:
What is my greatest talent?
What are the blessings in my life?
What is my strongest desire in life?
How can I improve my quality of life?
What will be my life’s legacy?
How am I viewed by the people I care about?
In this age of sound bytes, contemplation is a fast becoming a lost art. According to Webster’s Dictionary, contemplation is defined as: “To look with continued attention, to meditate, to mark out a temple, to give attentively."
In a quiet moment, we have all asked ourselves the question, “What is the meaning of life?” By finding your purpose, you will confront the question, “How can I make my life more meaningful?”
Over the years as an executive coach, I have encouraged many people to find their purpose. I hear, “I am too busy to engage in this type of pursuit." Or, "I’ll do it when things improve at work."
Of course, I recount with, "The time is now!”
Finding your purpose contributes to your own personal renaissance. Purpose aids us in being more human, helpful, effective and sensitive, as well as identifying our daily contribution to the world and connecting us to our inner strength, helping us to manifest our inner purpose in life.
The adventure called life tests us all by our experiences, our ability to learn from our mistakes and to rebound with knowledge and persistence. It has been said that life experience is the true source of wisdom.
Orchestrate your life by taking the time to pursue and locate your purpose. Take the time to listen deeply within yourself without distraction. Focus on what is important to you. Give it your full attention. You are worth it!
Life is a gift, so take advantage of some time alone, explore your inner thoughts and chart your life’s course, called PURPOSE!
