Purpose Keepers
Last week we identified the importance of knowing our purpose and its power to be our North Star.
Our purpose cannot be achieved by operating alone. We need to join with others if our purpose is to become a reality.
However, ‘hits’ will come into our life that will block our purpose. In these moments, countless purposes are pushed to the side unless the purpose is held tight and you have a Purpose Keeper to keep you on track.
Once we have passion for our purpose, our purpose will not succumb to the hits, but will overcome the roadblocks. Why? Because we are then willing to sacrifice. Passion means we give our time, energy, and resources in order to achieve our purpose.
How can we stay focused on our purpose during these times? We can use 5 Purpose Keepers.
Practice the Pause: When hits come and threaten our purpose, we have two choices.
1. Hits -> React
A common choice is simply to react to the hit with anger, frustration, conflict, or withdrawal.
2. Hits -> Pause (Insert Purpose) -> Respond
A less common, but more effective choice when the hit comes is to pause. In that moment of pause we can insert our purpose. Our response then comes out of our purpose, not out of the hit.
Phrase It — Fix it in your seat before you take it to the street: This is a Purpose Keeper practiced when we are at our best. Before we arrive at a place where we know the hits will come, we lock into our purpose.
Peer Partners: We need to link arms with others who know and support our purpose. They can even remind us when we begin to waver on our purpose.
Physical Objects: Have a physical object that reminds you of your purpose. This could be a picture, bracelet, or necklace that has special meaning related to your purpose.
Pupils and Players: Many of our Wellness Wednesday readers are teachers, coaches, or parents. Make sure your students, players, or children know your purpose. Have it posted in your work area. At times, ask your class or team, “What’s my purpose?” As a chorus, they yell it out to you. We can even use some form of this with colleagues or adults we supervise.
Identify a purpose keeper you want to use so your purpose is not just written in a notebook, but obvious to others when you walk into a room.
All the best to you and yours from our Top 20 team,…Willow Sweeney, Tom Cody, and Kevin Brennan
