Information Outlook, Vol. 5, No.6, June 2001

The Purpose Principle

I love alliteration, but that's not the reason for the title of this column. The point I'm trying to make is that YOUR power lies in YOUR purpose. How you feel about what you do makes all the difference in your outlook AND in the results of your work. I'm reminded of a story about a traveler in the Middle Ages, who visited a city where many stone cutters were working. Approaching several, he asked the same question:

"What are you doing?"

The first stonecutter he met replied, "I'm cutting stone. It's dull work, but it pays the bills."

A second stonecutter responded, "I'm the best stone cutter in the land. Look at the smoothness of this stone, how perfect the edges are."

A third pointed to a foundation several yards away, and said, "I'm building a cathedral."

One lacked purpose altogether. The second was proud of the work he did. But the third clearly had a sense of purpose, of the greater reason for his work. It's safe to assume that the third stone cutter never got lost in the boredom of the work or became obsessed with being the best. The third stone cutter knew that his work was critical to the successful completion of a larger project the construction of a cathedral.

How do you define what you do daily? What purpose do you connect to your deeds? People who are both highly successful AND happy are inspired by a sense of purpose. They sense that they are predestined to do or be something. But such lofty notions are often lost in our fast-paced, change-on-the-fly, global culture. The notion of your purpose is deceptively practical, so be careful how you think about it.

Try recalling a time when you were compelled to action by something that was important to you. Maybe it was a game or contest; maybe it was a goal you had set for yourself. Remember your energy level? Remember how clearly you were focused? Now think back to yesterday and your current job. Are you as enthusiastic, or do you feel that something is missing?

Your sense of purpose is critical to maximizing your full potential. It sparks your creativity and intensifies your awareness and focus. It's also an excellent stress-reliever. It increases stamina when adversity hits you. It boosts your optimism. But most important is that purpose fuels passion and generates zeal. It builds motivation and courage to take appropriate risks.

Here are some tips that will help you reconnect with, or advance, your inner purpose:

1. Focus on being significant, making a difference right now, where you are. This is a critical first step - and the first is always the most difficult. Stop thinking about what's in the game for you, and start building a strategy that will make you indispensable.

2. Redefine your goals in terms of giving and contribution, not just receiving. For example, if you're bucking for that big promotion, focus on the special contributions you will make in order to achieve that goal. If you are attempting to create value

for what you do, aim to personalize your services for colleagues and customers.

3. Draft your own personal mission and core values statements, and align them with the vision and mission of your firm. Remember that your mission and core values do not have to mention one thing about the work you do or your organization's goals. They should merely reflect your stance on what is important in your life, both professionally and personally.

4. Bring honor to the little things, the daily doings you take for granted. Carry them out with dedication and high ethics. So often, honor is left at the door in the workplace. Show others that you are "above the fray" by adhering to standards that allow you to work well within legal limits or organizational rules. In times of adversity, it will make you look like a star.

5. Turn your job into a quest to learn, to grow, to expand your capabilities. Always look at everything you do as having a strategic aim that will advance your organization's interests. This, too, is good for substantive and perceptual goals. Your work will improve and others will respect you for it.

Remember that your hopes and dreams should be fueling your job. If they've been lost along the way, it's time to reassess. Purpose builds pride. Pride fuels passion. Passion improves productivity. Productivity equals greater profits, and in more ways than just money.

Twenty-four hours from now, you will be a day older. Where will tomorrow find you having just made another dollar, or building your cathedral?

For more information,
contact John Crosby
(john-c@sla.org)