Having a purpose is important in all aspects of life and plays a bigger part in whether we reach our goals than you might think.Our sense of purpose is intrinsically linked to what we value and defines most of what we do. For example, as a parent, most will want to bring their children up to be polite, happy and inspired individuals. We spend years coaching them, encouraging them and supporting them when things don’t go to plan, so they grow from their mistakes. Our values dictate our behaviour.The same is true in business. You might value recognition or even earning a higher salary and therefore you put the work in to secure those extra deals or get the promotion you desire. Again, it is our values that give us a sense of purpose as we work to uphold them.Running our businesses is challenging but without purpose, how do you rise to that challenge?You might pause here and think, this article is not for you. You go to work every day; your business is growing, and you have clear goals you are working towards.But here’s the key question you need to ask yourself – are you running on auto pilot?If you answered yes, it is likely you have lost your sense of purpose and need to dig a little deeper to discover what it is that drives you.There could be a few factors at play:
It is totally normal that throughout your lifetime, your priorities will change and in turn, what gives you purpose changes. You may have experienced something life changing such as becoming a parent or surviving a trauma or something else could have happened which changed your outlook on life. Whatever the reason, it is likely that the goals you set yourself in the past have changed in line with these events and you need to reassess them to make sure they align with your new outlook.
This is more common than you may think, and it means that the goals you are working towards are playing it too safe. You want more and are capable of more but are too afraid to raise your ambitions in case you fail. Firstly, you need to be honest with yourself ad accept that you are scared of failure. Secondly you need to ask yourself, what is the worst that can happen? The worst outcome might be that you don’t achieve that goal, or you make mistakes along the way but think of all the lessons, resilience and strength you will build throughout that process. Secondly, allow yourself to imagine the feeling of achieving that goal. Really feel it and start believing in it!Working with a sense of purpose has lots of benefits. It keeps you focused because you know what truly matters to you and you’ll avoid the distractions that take you away from your goals. People who work with a purpose are generally more grateful and more passionate because they are focused on the bigger picture.So, spend some time reflecting on what your purpose is and whether your goals align with this. If you are letting fear get in the way of your success, I have written another blog that can help you. You are in control of whether you reach your full potential and having a purpose in life will certainly help!
Prior to starting his current business with UW, Derek dedicated 29 years to Primary Education, serving as a classroom practitioner, an Advisory Teacher for Information Technology, and ultimately as the Head of a Primary School until 2014.
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