Who Are You? An Insight into Purpose and Leadership
The importance of a clearly defined purpose is widely acknowledged, however, it is not always easy to clearly define what your purpose is. When you know what your purpose is, you understand the meaning behind everything you do.
‘It is the choice to bring who we are – our gifts and energies – to whatever we are doing. The purpose is a cradle-to-grave, 24/7, moment-to-moment choice in our daily lives.’
You can have both a professional and personal purpose, some people keep these completely separate while others have one purpose, their professional and personal purposes working in harmony.
Particularly for an entrepreneur it can be difficult to achieve this harmony. This struggle can cause relationship breakdowns, as happened to me early in my career. For me this was for one simple reason. I didn’t have a life purpose – I only had a professional purpose. It was after I met my partner Lucy that I discovered my true purpose in life, this changed my life completely, my life purpose and my professional purpose were aligned.
Prior to this I was constantly seeking validation, I was continually failing because all I cared about was being successful, I did not have a personal purpose.
When you understand your purpose, you have a healthier mindset and can operate at a higher level personally and professionally. Obstacles that present themselves will be easier to handle and you will be mentally stronger.
“Leadership is the ability to rally people not for a single event, but for years. In business, leadership means that customers will continue to support your company even when you slip up.”
We often get caught up in the what in our lives, particularly in a professional setting without first asking why. You could be functioning on autopilot simply working through meaningless tasks until one day, you realise you’re lost.
On the other hand if you are intune with your purpose, carrying out your day’s tasks will feel rewarding as you know you are working toward achieving desired outcomes. You understand the purpose behind each task and can remove tasks that are unnecessary and do not align with your purpose.
So what is the relevance in the context of leadership?
One key thing great leaders share is they have a purpose. They have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and know how to share it with others and you can elevate others to share your vision.
“Most of us go to our graves with our music still inside us, unplayed.”
Oliver Holmes, Dean of the Harvard Medical School
When I have shared my purpose statement with others, they have commented that it isn’t unique or clever enough. That is not important, all that matters is that your purpose is true to you.
My purpose is to change the world, one person, at a time, starting with myself. And those last three words are the key. It must start with me. Anyone can aspire to change the world, but aspiration isn’t purpose.
I am often asked how I found my purpose. This starts with asking the right questions and alot of self reflection. It’s a process that can take some time and quite a lot of effort, but each client I have worked with and taken on this journey has found the process life changing and worth the effort.
Purpose has become a cornerstone in my teaching and coaching of business owners and executives. It is a key instrument in accelerating my client’s growth and deepening their impact both professionally and personally. It helps them align their purpose professionally and personally, which has a profound impact on their life and I want the same for you.
If you are unsure about your purpose, you have a strong desire to connect and you want to become the very best version of yourself; don’t hesitate to reach out, you could be the next step of my journey to changing the world one person at a time.
Live with purpose,
