Purpose: A-Z Blogging Challenge

     Whether or not you've read Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, or Daniel Pink's Drive, there is
something inside all of us which encourages us to excel at something.   Not the standard "time to go to work" or school, or take care of the kids, whatever it is that tends to occupy most of our daily lives.   No, it's something stronger, deeper, and much more powerful within each of us that we're supposed to be doing with what time, talent and treasure we've been given. 

     Some of us pursue our purposes in our spare time and some of us are fortunate enough to actually do that for a living.  Given the research showing nearly 80% of Americans wish we were working somewhere other than where we are, and over 70% of us are either not engaged or completely disengaged from our work lives, I suspect that the majority haven't found it yet.

     So why not start?  I don't mean quit your job.  I mean taking time, making time to figure out what your purpose is?  Daniel Pink's Flip-Manifesto talks about marrying the profit motive with the purpose motive as the business model for the future in our organizations.  And by the way, he also suggests we quit fumbling around for our "passion" and realize what you do, and go do it. What really compels you to continue through the hard times because you love the work and it makes a positive impact in your world of influence?
     If you haven't seen this RSA Animate look at Pink's Drive, you should.  Particularly if you're in any kind of leadership position.  It's required viewing for all of my classes, undergrad or graduate.

  
 
     What's yours?  "Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from."  Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Comments

  1. nutschellApril 18, 2012 at 1:49 PM

    i love that video! Thanks for sharing it:)
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com
    Happy A-Zing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. kate nApril 18, 2012 at 5:10 PM

    You made me shout "HA!" when I read...And by the way, he also suggests we quit fumbling around for our "passion" and realize what you do, and go do it...because for me its just not that simple. Great post though and I am now intrigued to read Pinks book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jon R WallaceApril 18, 2012 at 6:32 PM

      By the way, it hasn't been that simple for me either, having spent many years running away from my purpose and passions in life. Glad to be in them now though.

      Delete
  3. Jon R WallaceApril 18, 2012 at 6:31 PM

    Click on the Flip-Manifesto link Kate to download a Pdf from Pink to get his perspective. I'm a little more abrupt than Dan. :-).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. kate nApril 19, 2012 at 8:58 AM

      Thanks, reading it now..in a weird twist there is mention of the photo-sharing service Ofoto, the very one whose name I could not remember yesterday (except it began with an O) and where I have stored some photo's that I need. So reading it is already paying off!

      Delete
  4. kate nApril 19, 2012 at 9:46 AM

    I started to write a comment, but it became far too long. In summary, I was defending my 19 year working life as what can be considered a career temp. I had an epiphany earlier in the year when I reflected on past jobs and what I liked and disliked about them, what I gave to them and what I got from them. I was on a high for about 12 hours until it dawned on me that I had no clue how I would get this job. Selling myself has never been a strength as I like to go by the old adage that the proof is in the pudding but its irrelevant when you cant convince the person to that they want the pudding. Sorry, that was supposed to be a summary - you should have seen the original!

    ReplyDelete
  5. GraciewildeApril 28, 2012 at 5:21 PM

    Autonomy is huge for me. I like that I come into the office at 7:30 and I make my own schedule, I decide when and if I do things. I am definitely a fan of mastery as well - I always like to be good at what I do. I thrive on challenges. Purpose? In theory, I have purpose in my work. However, I am getting uber burned out -- losing purpose :(
    Great video

    ReplyDelete

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