In the journey that is life, we can either feel like we are taking the express lane to our destination or driving in circles. The former condition is one in which we have a clear purpose. In the latter condition, we are not moving confidently in any direction because, well, we do not know what direction is the right direction.
Having and recognizing a purpose is crucial to our productivity, growth, and quality of life. Knowing your purpose does not mean you are immune to adversity, but purpose gives direction to get back on track when setbacks happen.
This week, I am focusing on a quote by speaker an author John O’Leary. He remind us that purpose is not only our guiding light, it is an energy source to get through difficult times.
The quote by John O’Leary is not just some words cleverly strung together. He has lived them. O’Leary suffered third-degree burns over his entire body at age nine. Doctors said he would not survive. John O’Leary did more than survive. He recognized his purpose was to help people live inspired lives. He does just that today despite the physical limitations from being severely burned.
John O’Leary is driven by purpose. You need not have a near-death experience to find yours.
Purpose Can be Elusive
Knowing your why will see you through whatever tough times come your way. If it were really that simple, everyone would have their purpose plastered on their walls, bathroom mirror, and phone lock screen. Many people cannot put their purpose on a wall, mirror, or lock screen for a simple reason: They are unsure what their purpose is.
Given that knowing our purpose can give clarity to deal tough times, why do we not seek to find it? Purpose is elusive for the following reasons:
- We do not bother to find out. Calling out people’s apathy toward their purpose sounds harsh, but I believe some people are content not bothering to define their purpose. My point is not to suggest people in this category have no purpose (because they do). They are valued by others as parents, employees, volunteers, and friends. When it comes to clearly stating their why, for some reason they have not asked the question of themselves. They are prime candidates for being changed by inspirational people like John O’Leary.
- Someone answered the question for us. Believing in a purpose that someone else has set for you may be more dangerous than not having a purpose at all. You have heard the stories about the person who was expected to take the reigns of the family business, the college student who majored in accounting at the urging of her father, or the man whose mother steered him away from marrying the “wrong” woman. In all of these cases, one’s purpose was unduly influenced, if not determined, by someone else. Your purpose is just that—yours.
- We are afraid of the answer. Fully understanding our purpose can be one of the most empowering states we can achieve. It can also be a scary one. We may be afraid of the answer to our why question when it represents a departure from aimlessly wandering or following someone else’s view of our purpose. The young person who decides service to country in the military is his purpose has made a decision that will impact family and friends, not to mention creating significant change in his daily life. It would be safer and less traumatic to keep things as they are. It would also deny the person of the meaning derived from fulfilling purpose.
Finding Purpose
The thought that knowing your why enables us to endure any how is at the same time exhilarating and frightening. It is exhilarating to think that clarity of purpose can guide us in good times and bad. It is frightening to know the power of purpose yet be uncertain as to what is our purpose. If you find yourself feeling more frightened than exhilarated, a remedy is to ask questions that could help uncover your purpose.
In her book Story Driven: You Don’t Need to Compete When You Know Who You Are, business advisor and storytelling expert Bernadette Jiwa refers to purpose as simply “the reason to exist.” Jiwa asserts that purpose is the cornerstone of creating a competitive advantage, perhaps because so many people and organizations have difficulty articulating their purpose.
In the context of creating a business or personal brand, Jiwa suggests reflecting on questions that could shed light on your why. If you cannot clearly state your purpose, answer the following questions:
- What’s the thing you’re most proud to have done to date?
- Who inspires you?
- Who would you like to be an inspiration to?
- What change are you trying to create?
- What makes your work important to your audience?
Answers to these questions could offer certainty to the overarching question of your reason to exist as a brand.
Why Power
Thinking about purpose, or reason to exist is a beneficial exercise regardless of how easy or hard it is to answer. Our purpose can be consumed by a never ending to-do list, putting out fires, and trudging through a daily routine. It is assuring to know the power of purpose, that my why can help me deal with whatever may come my way.
