Be on Purpose

What’s your purpose?  Are you a teacher of young minds or new concepts?  Are you a builder of companies or of things?  Are you a leader – someone who can mobilize others because of a shared vision? As this is the last blog about this month’s joy habit about being on purpose, I’ve chosen the purpose of leadership to wrap up the series.  Why?  Because I believe we need to reawaken the leadership qualities we all possess in order to stand up for people or things we care about. We can no longer afford to stand by thinking that someone else will do the heavy lifting.  As Martin Luther King, Jr. said “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Are you someone who is in constant motion?  Do you crave change?    Are you able to see opportunities where others just see rubble? If this describes some of your characteristics, then your purpose may be that of a “builder” – someone who is likely either a serial entrepreneur or literally in the building profession.  And just like Michelangelo who when asked how he could create such a masterpiece as his famous statue of David, said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” , you too are being called to transform matter into your masterpiece.  You may be an alchemist my friend.

Are you someone who loves to learn?  Do you ask a lot of questions?  Are you curious about everything?  If so, your purpose may be that of a teacher. Since this month’s joy habit is about being on purpose, I thought I would talk about three distinct expressions of purpose for the rest of July, starting with those teachers who open the doors for the rest of us. I’ve found that most of the teachers I know and respect are life-long learners who are passionate about sharing what they know with others. Their caring nature makes them generous and giving. Take my good friend Jan for example who chose teaching school children the love of learning as her profession. What a gift to the world Jan’s purposeful passion has been.

Did you create a new ritual or activity during the pandemic that has now become part of your daily routine?  Is it something that has elevated you?  Hope so. Mine has. In the early days of the pandemic, my son and I created a morning ritual that I’m happy to say continues to this day.  Since we knew we wouldn’t be able to see each other in person for a while, he called me each morning on his way to work. In the first few weeks it was merely a way to stay connected to each other on a more regular basis.  But it soon morphed into something much more meaningful.  In many ways it helped to shift our energy away from thoughts of fear and anxiety and towards peace and promise instead.  This is how it began. Once we said good morning, we each asked the other “what is your gratitude for today”.  Sometimes it was as simple as the sun shining or the smell of the morning.  Other times it was deeper and required a few seconds of contemplation. And after a few months, we added an evening call that included “tell me one good thing that happened today.”