Defining your Purpose

Why are you here?

This is life’s most fundamental question, but is it one you ask yourself? There is no more powerful source of energy available to us than the sense that what we’re doing really matters – and serves something larger than our self-interest.

In your organisation, as a leader, your energy is contagious and so is the degree to which you can articulate a compelling sense of purpose your team can rally around. That requires searching inside yourself and finding what gets you up in the morning – beyond your basic KPI’s.

Whether or not you have a defined purpose for your organisation, you can find ways to connect to your own deepest values in your everyday actions at work. Below are some ideas for beginning to cultivate a sense of purpose and meaning.

1. Reflect on the aspects of your role, your relationships at work, or your company purpose that connect most closely with your values or reason ‘why’. Regularly connecting to these things provides a powerful source of energy upon which to draw.

2. Think about a time at work when you were doing something that made you feel more fully ‘engaged’ or that you found so absorbing that you lost track of time. Write down in as much detail as possible each aspect of this experience. Then, think about ways that you can incorporate these aspects into your role everyday.

3. Be in the Moment. When we are in the moment, we are keenly aware of our thoughts, emotions and even our breath. Our mind isn’t wandering to other times or places. We are absorbed and engaged in whatever we are doing, whether it is writing, thinking or even just listening.