7 Ways to Find Purpose
Lack of purpose is the reason you feel adrift and disconnected.
Purpose is stability in a stormy.
Noble purpose makes leaders trustworthy, resilient, and effective. But, the challenges of leadership crush leaders who lack noble purpose.
7 benefits of purpose:
- Joy. It feels great to find a worthwhile place in the world. Lack of purpose is like sleepwalking through life.
- Clarity. Purpose clarifies life like the sun lifts fog.
- Value. Purpose exposes your value to others in the world.
- Direction. That feeling of wandering is a symptom of lack of meaningful puropse
- Wisdom to say no and courage to take action. Leaders without purpose are pushed around by opportunity.
- Motivation. Purpose pulls leaders into meaning. Meaning is motivation.
- Resilience. Nothing can stop you when you find purpose.
7 ways to find leadership purpose:
- Get busy. The thing that finds you while you’re sitting under a tree is sleep. The power of reflection is best seen after you’ve done something, not before.
- Step out of yourself. The first challenge of leadership is shifting your thinking from you to others. Purpose brings you fulfillment, but leadership-purpose is always about bringing value to others.
- Celebrate your abilities. There’s no place for false humility on the leader’s journey. You can’t lead without competence. If you’re great at systems, build systems, for example.
- Know your reasons for leading. I hope it’s more than money, position, or power.
- Listen to people who challenge you. The seduction of coddlers is the illusion of self-indulgent purpose. Coddlers steal potential and obscure purpose.
- Step into the unknown. Do something new. Take current activities to a new level.
- Follow your energy. Everyone does things that drain energy, but living in purpose ignites energy.
Find purpose broadly at first. Try, “Bringing value to others.” Narrow as you go.
What are the benefits of finding purpose?
How do leaders find their purpose?
Dan lack of purpose can be a problem in one’s personal life as well. We know several very bright young people who inherited a lot of money at age 21 and who have never managed to do something fulfilling with their lives. With no purpose comes no joy not just in business or your career
Brad
Brad James www bradszootales.com
Thanks Brad. You shared a powerful and sobering illustration of the power of purpose.
No purpose – no joy. Love the power of that.
“Know your reasons for leading. I hope it’s more than money, position, or power.” When I am coaching and developing people on my team, I often ask this same question when they begin to talk about a desire to move to a position of leadership. If it focuses on any of the three items listed above, I tell them to be careful. These things only satisfy for a limited time. Since the leader has to “give up to go up,” it becomes very important that there is something greater than money, position, or power to keep the leadership fires burning. These are all short-term satisfiers. Leadership is about influence, and we are certainly not going to have sustained influence over others based on how much money we make, our titles, or the amount of power that comes with our position.
Thanks Jay. Perhaps the seduction of money, position, and power is they work for awhile. 🙂
Dan, Big thanks & Homerun!
I love the quote my mentor shares about Purpose: “There are two important days in your life. The day you were born & the day you discovered why” – John C. Maxwell
Discover your Purpose: the world needs your Courage, Committment, Compassion, Competency & Contribution.
In His Service,
Mark
Thanks Mark. The term compassion is powerful when connected to purpose. I’m particularly glad you added that idea.
I cant agree with your first comment about reflection. If its your style of learning and developing then thinking brings clarity and purpose. We are not all born activists!
Thanks Angie. I have many friends who like to reflect before they take action. Action without thought is probably foolish. But, I believe reflection after action is more useful than reflection before. That’s not to say we should never reflect before.
Reflecting on what you want to do is useful. Reflecting on what you have done is more useful.
Thanks again for joining in.
Dito…
HI Robert, I’ll assume your “ditto” is for Angie’s comment. I responded above.
On target Dan! – Leadership in itself is purpose.