Session #1 - Passion vs. Purpose

You might come to realize there is a gap between what you’re doing at work and what you believe you’re intended to do with your life. For some, closing that gap might mean switching companies to work for a more purpose-driven brand. For others, it may mean going back to school to train for a different line of work altogether. Working with purpose requires the courage to pivot in a different direction when your soul tells you it’s time.

Sometimes, people discover their purpose in the aftermath of painful experiences. Other times, people are pulled toward a societal problem they feel they can’t ignore or an issue they “can’t not” devote their lives to trying to solve. This is what we call vocational courage. It’s recognizing when there’s a gap between what you are doing, and what you believe you’re made to do, and taking action to close that gap.

Individuals and companies benefit when people come to work every day motivated by a sense of calling. Happiness, then, is not the goal, but rather a byproduct of living on what is called the “purpose path.” In a sense, you don’t find your vocation — your vocation finds you.

Put your purpose first. It might sound simple, but basing your life on your purpose requires you to first answer some fundamental questions. If you can address the What, How, and Why of your life and your work, you can direct your purpose toward your community and your world.

•What:Whataretheservicesyouofferasanorganization?Whatdoyoudoatwork?Theseareyour Whats,theproductofyourwork.

•How:Severalcompaniesmayoffersimilarservices.However,eachcompany’s,orperson’s“how” communicateswhatmakesthemspecialandsetsthemapartfromotherswhodosomethingsimilar.

•HOWsaretheorganization'sorindividual’sstrengths,values,andguidingprinciples.Theycan alsoincludethecompany’sdifferentiatingvalueproposition,proprietaryprocess,orunique sellingproposition(USP).

•Why:YourWhyisyourpurpose.IfyouoryourorganizationcanclearlystateyourWhy,youcando somethingveryfewpeopleandorganizationscando.Youneedtoknowwhyyoudowhatyoudo. It’sthevisionthatprovidesaclearanswertoquestionslikethese:

•Whydidyougetoutofbedthismorning?

•Whydoesyourorganizationexist,otherthanyourproducts,growthandprofit?

•Whyshouldanyonecarethatyourorganizationexists?

Sayyouhavetwoeducatorswhoteachthesamesubject.Theyteachthesameage groupatthesameschoolandtheyhavethesamehours.Thecontentinthecurriculum isidentical—their“What”isexactlythesame.

One educator might approach the content from an analytical perspective, guiding her classroom choices by the latest pedagogical research and judging her students’ achievements through traditional teaching methods.

The other educator might make decisions based on prior experience, discussions with his or her fellow teachers and track student progress more intuitively.

Differentstudentswillbeattractedtodifferentapproachesandbotheducatorsmighthavesimilar results.

Money is not a purpose. Revenues, profits, salaries and other monetary measurements, are simply the results of what we do. Your purpose is about your contribution, the inspiration you provide to others, and your ability to impact and serve others.

Do Not Confuse Making Money with “Your Why”

Let’s be honest here — most people are working to earn money. While that might seem to be the obvious “why,” we encourage you to rethink this. Money is part of the picture, but it is a result. It’s not the goal/purpose/idea that inspires us to get out of bed in the morning. Think about what you want to earn that money for. Is it for freedom? To travel? To provide a better lifestyle for your kids? Is it to show others how much you have achieved? Money isn’t the thing that drives people. Rather, to understand your “why” you need to go much deeper. Then you can better understand what motivates and inspires you and your organization.