I wanted to talk about purpose today.
I think a lot about purpose and why it seems so important to many of us to have one.
It seemed to take off for business people in 2009 when Simon Sinek delivered a TEDx talk: “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” and his book Start with Why. Apparently, his TEDx talk is the third most viewed TED talk ever.
I remember that talk. I was inspired to figure out my why. It was pretty tough. Was my why, my purpose, to create the best culture around for my company? That was my first shot at it. So, around that time the company, imageOne, came up with our purpose: To deliver genuine care that consistently drives extraordinary energy, actions, and experiences to everyone, every day, every time. I was pretty proud of that. And it bounced me out of bed every morning . . . for a while. Until it started to wear off. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t stop loving it. I still love it. But it didn’t seem to bring me whatever I was looking for. And, by the way, what was I looking for? Was it peace? Not sure, but something wasn’t fulfilled.
Then, someone encouraged me to write a book. And I did, called donothing, The Most Rewarding Journey You Will Ever Take. While writing, I was inspired to create a retreat for leaders. After all, I truly believed, and still do, that it has led to inner transformation for me. Why not others?
Ah-ha! My purpose. I knew it. Write a book. Host a retreat. Make a difference. YES! Got it.
I was pretty proud of that. And, it bounced me out of bed every morning… for a while. Until it started to wear off. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t stop loving it. I still love it. But it didn’t seem to bring me whatever I was looking for. And, by the way, what was I looking for? Was it peace? Not sure, but something wasn’t fulfilled.
What the heck? What’s going on? That seems like a great purpose. Jeesh. Ok, back to the drawing board. Or, not.
I wondered, is being human, being in the present moment, fully aware, compassionate, full of love and pure energy not enough? Just curious.
Gino and my newest book, Shine, How Looking Inward Is The Key To Unlocking True Entrepreneurial Freedom, is releasing on March 26th. We hope the book has the impact that the The 10 Disciplines Coaching Programs has had on our clients. Someone said to me recently, “I think you found your purpose.” Separately, during the recording of the audio version of the book, Gino asked me, “why are you doing this work?” My answer: “I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. It’s just something inside me that I can’t describe and isn’t worth trying to describe . . . because if I do, I’ll be in my head, my ego, deciding that this work I’m doing is so important that it’s my grand purpose.”
Are you in your head about your why or your purpose? Are you unclear about your Ten-Year Thinking Vision? Based on the reflections shared about the journey of understanding purpose and the distinction between being ‘in your head’ about purpose versus coming from your True Self, here are two thought-provoking journaling prompts:
Journaling prompt #1:
Reflect on the moments when you’ve felt most aligned with your purpose. Were these moments characterized more by a sense of peace and presence, or were they dominated by thoughts and plans about what you ‘should’ be doing? Consider how this alignment or misalignment with your True Self has influenced your feelings of fulfillment and peace.
Journaling prompt #2:
Think about a time when you pursued a goal or a vision because it seemed important from an external perspective or because it fed into a narrative you had about yourself. How much of this pursuit was truly coming from a place of inner knowing and peace, and how much was influenced by ego, societal expectations, or a need for external validation?
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” – C.G. Jung
Our next Group Coaching Program starts on March 25th. Join before March 4th to secure the current pricing ($3,000) before the price increase ($4400). Shed the barrier and layers that prevent you from creating the balance between impact and peace. During our 10-session program, you will learn to deepen your understanding of yourself and, with that knowledge, how to protect your boundaries to free your True Self and ultimately Shine.
