What Does It Really Mean to Lead and Live With Purpose?

When I Executive Coach a Leader, we need to define in the beginning exactly what they are trying to achieve. We need to be clear on our goals and make sure we are both moving in the same direction.

So, I would like to take a moment at the beginning of our journey together through this blog series to define what my blogs overarching theme of Leading and Living with Purpose really means.

What does it look like to lead and live with purpose? It is when you get up in the morning, excited for the day ahead. There will still be obstacles for you to navigate, but you will feel like you are going with the flow of life rather than banging your head against the wall and always trying to power through to make things happen.  That way of leading and working can be exhausting!

Some may say, "What if I am not in the right job for me? Will I ever be able to live in line with my purpose?"  100 per cent yes!  It is about focusing on what you are doing in this very moment.  And if a role shift or a move around the world is in store for you, I believe that when you are open and working in line with who you really are, doors will open.

Here is what I am learning about Leading and Living with Purpose…It is more about the journey than the destination. The achievement of the goal happens, but it becomes the side product of how you feel each day and the work you do. And then ironically, the end success is greater.

What if you were to flip the switch and focus more on the process, the journey, and less on the goal? Right away, my type A Drivers may be skeptical (I see you people as I am one of you!). How would we achieve the goal if we take our eyes off the prize? The way we have been working has been working so far. We have a track record of achieving our goals. Why would I switch up my focus?

But ask yourself, has it really been working? Sure, you have attained your goals. But at what cost?

Have you found yourself or your people experiencing a high level of stress? Do you work hard for a goal, and then when you reach it, you feel it is not as great as you expected? Even hollow? And then you are off to chase the next one.

And what can happen when you lean into these parts of yourself that make you who you really are and use them to your competitive advantage as a leader?

I am not claiming to have all the answers, but what I have learned through my life experiences of being a Super Busy Type A Driver MBA Leader who suffered a brain injury 12 years ago and then lost my husband, Jeff, to esophageal cancer 5 years ago with young kiddos in tow, I want to share with you. I am still in the process myself of learning and will share my steps along the way with you here.

This isn’t fluffy, feel-good stuff. What I will be sharing with you throughout this newsletter series is the essence of leading as a human being. We have emotions. Our bodies send us messages through our health and well-being. Our gut instinct tells us what to do.  Often, we ignore all these massively important elements of ourselves. Why? We believe we are too busy to listen. We don’t understand what the benefit of listening is, so we just keep our heads down and stick to that good old traditional way of being.  And that is okay. Except there is so much more out there for you as part of the human experience.

Through these newsletters, I will walk you through an exploration process of learning to shift from the old way of working/being to operating from a place that is in sync with your values, feels good for your overall health and wellness, and is exciting for you.  Get ready to begin!

To get a more customized experience to supercharge your development, reach out to me at: ceo@potentialunlimited.ca to schedule a FREE 20-minute Discovery Call!