Purpose
Purpose is a topic that comes up a lot when I’m coaching with clients. Often people will start coaching because a lack of purpose has stirred something inside them and they are seeking more.
During the pandemic most of us went through significant changes professionally and personally. Pandemic aside, we’re often met with change that can leave us feeling purposeless. Perhaps the kids have moved out and moved on and there’s a void. Perhaps you were once entrenched in the day-to-day operations of your business, but you’ve hired a president and feel like your purpose has been diminished. We all need to feel a sense of purpose to lead a fulfilled and charged life!
The highest achievers in the world have clarity and high levels of purpose. So how do these high performers have purpose while others don’t?
They intentionally seek and develop purpose. Here’s how…
- They evaluate how they’re living!
Are their actions inline with who they want to be? Are they living true to their core values, or do they feel that they are missing the mark? They check in with themselves each day to evaluate how they showed up and if their actions were in alignment with their personal truth. Take a moment and think about your core values. Ask yourself: “Am I living in alignment with my core values and my personal truth or am I living to please others?”. Are there false obligations that I’m taking on because I think it will make others happy? What is one thing that you can do today that will be in complete alignment with who you say you are? Take that action today and build on it tomorrow to start living in alignment with who you could be! This isn’t easy and requires humility and a sincere gut check. Recently I fell out of excellent habits, not all at once, but little by little I started compromising on my workouts and nutrition and I started feeling a sense of discomfort. That’s a good thing!!! My mind was on alert, letting me know that I wasn’t living in alignment with who I say I am, and I stopped keeping the promises I was making to myself. Evaluating where you’re at can be uncomfortable and that’s the first step towards progress!
- They activate their potential!
Purpose-driven people raise their level of ambition by challenging the status quo. Think of a time in your life when you felt completely energized, focused and proud of your behaviour. Chances are you were working towards a goal, learning something new, or operating outside of your comfort zone. How can you activate your potential today by leveling up in one are of your life? Often, we feel a sense of frustration, purposelessness or even depression when we are not progressing towards something challenging. We need goals to feel like we have purpose and direction, and it begins with setting a goal that will make us level up! What goal will you chose today that will stretch you and develop your purpose?
- They adopt a role model mentality
This has been one of the most profound shifts that I’ve seen in my own life as well as the lives of my coaching clients. Brendon Burchard teaches the importance of developing a role model mentality especially in times of crisis or challenge. The reality is that your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours are all watching. People need positive role models and by adopting a role model mentality you will provide an example to others, but it will keep your actions in alignment. You’ll start thinking about who needs you on you’re a-game, who needs you for guidance, and who needs you to show them what’s possible. The highest achievers take a role-model mentality seriously and it provides a renewed sense of purpose.
- They have next level consciousness
The highest achievers aren’t more spiritual than others. They can be, but what I’m referring to here is that they are conscious of the moment. They are present, they feel at a visceral level, they take in the sights and sounds, they live fully and are present in their work and in their interactions with others. To feel purposeful, they take time to reflect on their day, how they showed up and how they might improve the following day. They typically journal about experiences, relish in the small joys and capture meaningful moments. When we don’t slow down to feel life fully, time passes in an instant. We’re busy but can’t quite figure out why we feel unsettled. If this resonates, I encourage you to slow down the day. Let your hugs linger, put down the phone or the book when you feel the sun hitting your face and breathe deeply. Look around the dinner table and take in the people you are surrounded with and create meaningful moments.
You can feel a deeper level of purpose starting today. You do not need to wait for a huge breakthrough or an ah-ha moment that knocks you off your feet. In fact, developing purpose is a journey which is taken through coaching and self reflecting. The biggest breakthroughs will come from thought provoking questions like the ones above. If you’re seeking more clarity and purpose in life and would like to set up an exploratory session with me, feel free to email [email protected] and I’d love to get you started on your amazing journey towards a more purpose-driven and high performance life!
