What’s Your Response?
Leader’s are often tasked with a big question. That question is “why do you do what you do?”
And this question is often summed up in a single word: purpose. Purpose is the deeper meaning behind your days, your relationships, and your work. And pinpointing what that is, isn’t always easy. Mostly, it takes intentional effort to reveal it. To put it plainly: if you’re not seeking it, you won’t find it.
MLB Spring Training 2021
I listened to a podcast recently that spoke to this— about what it meant to find something bigger to play for. About the how to finding a purpose for your life and your work… and the person in the episode shared that what has moved him to start and support several businesses and non-profits for the betterment of the world, was his anger. He said, “When I’m looking for a purpose, oftentimes I look at what upsets me the most.” And I loved this statement for 2 reasons:
He spoke about purpose as if you could find it in multiple places. He said, “When I’m looking for a purpose..” as if you could find ‘a bigger why’ in a relationship, in a task, in a business venture, or a mission. He spoke about purpose as if it was something you could dig deep and find… anywhere. Or in any season.
He spoke to his motivation of purpose— which for him, was what made him mad. It was an overwhelming upset, that turned into passion. But note, this is *one* motivation.
I’ve felt purpose-full motivation in 4 ways:
1. What breaks my heart. 2. What brings me joy. 3. What makes me mad to see or not see. 4. A bigger vision.
And it’s the synergy of all four that the fire inside of me is made of.
Call it a ‘bigger why’, call it a ‘calling’, call it a ‘purpose’— but whenever one of those is needed… whenever I need to put my finger on a bigger reason to be right there in the moment or task or relationship or professional endeavor… these are the motivations that I lean on.
What breaks my heart? What brings me/others that uncontrollable can’t-hold-it-in JOY? What makes me mad to see or to NOT see? And zooming OUT: what’s the bigger picture for where I & the world headed?
And then I’m tasked with the challenge of a response:
To fill those spaces with the most loving SOLUTIONS.
Keep seeking. Keep loving. Keep playing big. The gaps you see in the world are yours to fill, stud. Lead on.