I am not sure about you all, but I have goals. I have yearly goals, monthly goals, weekly goals, and often even daily goals. When I set my monthly goals back in January, I planned to be socially active in March. Very socially active. In March, I planned to (1) file my taxes (like a good "adult"); (2) take swing dancing lessons and check out new swing dancing venues in NYC; (3) start dating, or at least try to; and (4) work on strengthening my existing friendships and see more of my friends more regularly.
This planning in January obviously did not account for this coronavirus wreaking havoc, all the way from global trade and markets to my own daily routines. And goals.
My life, and my ambitious social goals, has been disrupted by something out of my control. This may sound selfish, and I recognize that it is, but it is true. I think it's worth sharing, and talking about because it is true for all of us right now. Our lives have been massively interrupted by something that is out of our control. I'm pretty sure you can relate, since all gatherings, whether being group dinners, concerts, spring break trips, sporting events, graduation ceremonies or otherwise are canceled (or postponed until further notice).
For my part, my goals being derailed has left me feeling thrown off course. Lost, even. Purposeless. I feel like a plank of wood adrift on the stormy currents of the constant "breaking news" updates, hoping that the waters settle down soon so that I can return to pursuing my goals, social and otherwise.
What Really is Purpose?
The irony is that I work for Inspiring Capital, a learning and development organization centered around impact, meaning, and purpose... So, I sit here asking myself, "Why do I, unlike my colleagues, not see how defining my purpose can ground me through this pandemic?"
The answer I've arrived at is: I have been basing my identity on what I do, or plan to do. And, since the coronavirus has stopped much of what I do and plan to do, I feel ungrounded and directionless.
This is where purpose comes into play. As Zach Mercurio, Ph.D., researcher at Colorado State University and best-selling author of The Invisible Leader, states, "[Y]our purpose isn't what you do, it's the contribution you make through what you do… Realizing this difference is powerful because as soon as you can separate what you do with the impact you want to make, new possibilities emerge that aren't confined to a role or activity (that you may not be able to do anymore)."
In other words, I am more than my actions. And my purpose, my reason for existence, is not based on actions taken or not taken. In The Invisible Leader, Mercurio defines authentic purpose as "a person or organization's genuine and unique reason for existence that is useful to others in society." Meaning, I exist to contribute to my friends, family, workplace, and larger community, which I do by merely being me, as well as through the actions I take.
How is Purpose a Powerful Tool?
The best part about purpose is that it's highly personal. We each have a purpose as unique as our fingerprints and, thus, have unique ways to contribute to our communities. PurposeMatch is a self-discovery tool, much like a personality test, that identifies your unique strengths and impact areas, to help you craft a personal purpose statement.
From taking PurposeMatch, I learned that my top strength is "Connection" and I like to have impact in the form of "Contribution & Identity." Even better, the tool led me to craft my own personal purpose statement. Mine reads:
"My purpose is to intentionally foster and promote authentic, rich connections. So that we can all better leverage our unique identities to collectively create positive, sustainable world change."
Simply reviewing my strength, impact areas, and purpose statement helps me breathe a sigh of relief these days. I am more than those unaccomplished monthly goals I committed to in January. Even though I can no longer achieve my March goals, I am still contributing to others and this world at large. Recentering on my purpose helped me find myself again. The me that is adaptable to what is going on in the world, versus the me that is thrown off course by the inevitable changing circumstances of life, which are particularly dramatic now, but will continue indefinitely.
What's Next? Discover and Use Your Purpose
Here are two steps on how to start your purpose journey:
(1) Take PurposeMatch for yourself. My friends at PurposeMatch are offering readers special use of this tool. Just head here and the first 1,000 viewers to enter the code ODYSSEYOFPURPOSE will get the tool for free.
(2) Join in on Purpose-Full Conversations. I welcome you to join our organization's free webinar panel of experts and community of purpose-driven peers and professionals for a Community Conversation Monday, March 23 at 12 pm ET / 9 am PT via Zoom, to discuss "The Power of Purpose in a Pandemic." I will be on this webinar too, can't wait to see you there!
