life theme

Purpose and Vision

We often get purpose (theme as I often call it) and vision mixed up.

They are inevitably intertwined but also distinct.

Quick idea: “It’s not what the vision is, it’s what the vision does.” – Robert Fritz

Purpose/theme: why you’re here. Broad.

Vision: how your purpose plays out in areas of your life.

I’ve found value in defining my purpose and then clarifying my vision in different areas of life…family, work, friends, community.

My purpose/theme: Invoking people’s truest selves!

Work vision: Creating rhythms and structure in organizations which bring out people’s best. (Coaching, training, succession planning, DEI…)

Inspired by Peter Senge’s Fifth Discipline where he talks about Personal Mastery.

“…and the future is up to us!”

“…find my freedom, my future, my purpose. I am a detective. I’m a decipherer. And I’m a finder of lost souls. My life is my own. And the future is up to us!” – Enola Holmes from the 2020 Film

Who are you?

If we are to make the future, we must start with ourselves. Who are we?

What are your “I am…” phases?

A life theme is one thing. Mine is “Invoking people’s truest selves.” Identity is another. I used to say Energy – Connection – Cultivating which I would say are my strengths. Who am I though?

I am an energizer. I’m a connector of ideas. And I’m an advocate for people’s truest selves.

Innovate Inside of Relationships

Some people will appreciate the simply ship it attitude. The innovative spirit. The churn and refine. Those people need you to respond with clarity and vision. From me, those people need me to come prepared with succinct yet exciting engagement.

A second group of people will deeply loath the roll the dice, innovative spirit. They want process as usual. Only give me what I ask for. Top down control and oversight. From me, these people need me to come with specifics and clarity. I must do my homework and try to stretch their thinking a little but overall build trust from consistent reliability.

One common theme is that both these groups of people need me to be well prepared. I am an Eagle Scout and from my time in the Boy Scouts, I engrained the motto, “Be prepared.” Recognizing someone’s disposition and coming prepared to speak to that narrative. The narrative and stories we tell ourselves are reality not what we want people to be telling themselves.

While it is important to appeal and curate towards your audience, it is also important to curate your audience. Find people that value what I have to offer and go after them. Realize that what I have to offer is not for everyone. While also trying to stretch that circle of people little by little. Being a little bit of an evangelist for ideas and innovation while also going after the right people.

Overall, I hope to be more prepared and thoughtful in my relationships. Take risks to stretch a person’s perspective and when I do plan to stretch their thinking, I will come well prepared. Because that doesn’t happen with off the cuff interactions. I will also prepare by being thoughtful to realize those whom I can have the most impact. I must clarify who I am and understand who specifically will value and benefit from that.

I have distilled a personal life theme…”Invoking people’s truest selves.” What I must do is come prepared to offer that theme to others while also curating the right people to bring myself to.

This idea came after watching Guy Kawasaki’s TED Talk on the Art of Innovation