Today, there is a lot of talk about 'purpose'. Businesses have long had purpose and/or mission statements, personal growth environments encourage individuals to find their personal purpose, some people look for purpose in a spiritual context i.e. the purpose of being in this world, etc. But what do you think when you hear "live a life of purpose"?
Purpose isn't just for those BIG concepts - the purpose of a business or your life purpose. While those BIG purposes are the foundation, how do you go about living that purpose in everything you do each day? In organizations, how do employees live out a company's purpose within the duties and leadership of their individual positions?
As many of our readers know, Purpose answers the question 'why?' and it guides us like the rudder on a boat. Why is this business in business? Why are you here on this planet at this time? For most individuals, answering the later question is a journey of self-reflection, exploration and discovery. In our e-book - The Power of Personal Purpose - Barbara shares an exercise to assist individuals in starting a Purpose Quest. This is a great exercise that many of our coaches use with their clients to begin to identify their life purpose.
What I, and the clients I work with, find most impactful in living a life of purpose, is seeing the purpose in everything we do - each and every day:
- Why am I having today's meeting with my staff?
- Why are we producing and distributing this report each month?
- Why am I in relationship with this person?
Once I'm clear on the purpose I'm about to undertake, I can clearly see and articulate the vision I have for the meeting, the usage of the report data, or the vision for the relationship. And from there we can set goals/milestones that will come from the action we will take and to identify how those actions will occur.
Take some time this week and take yourself on a Purpose Quest! If you don't already have a copy of
The Power of Personal Purpose,
click here to download it.
And, if you find that your purpose calls you to empower others, to be a catalyst for change, to raise up leaders, to walk beside those who struggle through challenges, consider becoming a coach for others! Our next training begins April 29-May 1 in Tempe, AZ!
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