Purpose has become something of a buzzword. Organisations are expected to have one, and leaders, employees and teams are also increasingly searching for their purpose. But what exactly is meant by it? And even more important: what do you do once you have found your purpose?
What is purpose?
American developmental psychologist William Damon of Stanford University has done a lot of research into purpose. Together with colleagues, he described it as a stable and generalised intention to accomplish something that is at once meaningful to the self and of consequence to the world beyond the self. Damon et al.
So purpose has two sides. It is about who you are and what you find important. That is not about everyday things like being on time, doing your work properly or getting promoted. Purpose goes deeper: it is an inspiring higher goal that you keep working on and that gives you direction. And it is about what you do. How do you make a positive contribution to the world around you? How do you make a difference?
A lot has already been said and written about how to find your purpose. According to psychologist Judith Manshanden, the second part is much more important: how do you live your purpose? How do you make sure your purpose becomes your compass, a signpost for what you do and don't want to do? That calls for conscious choices and for daring to say 'no'. But above all, it asks you to stand up for who you are and what you believe in. If you want to live your purpose, you have to show yourself.
Scary?
Many people find that scary and vulnerable. So scary that they would rather avoid it and stay where they are. That is fine, of course. But if you want to live and work from purpose, it is not an option. Then you have to learn to deal with the discomfort and uncertainty you feel when you leave the beaten track and go your own way.
The feeling that there had to be 'more'
Judith herself left the beaten track in 2012. She worked at a consultancy in Amsterdam's business district, the Zuidas, and had long had the feeling that there had to be 'more'. She wanted to mean something to society. One day she happened to come across a video online about a special restaurant in the United States. There, guests decided for themselves what they paid for their meal. Those with little money could volunteer in the kitchen in exchange for food. And those who gave a little extra paid for meals for others. That touched her deeply. Anyone who ate there automatically did something good for someone else. Not making a profit, but being meaningful was the starting point. She knew immediately and without doubt: this is what I want to do.
"That can never work, can it?"
The first person she told about her decision was her father. Although he usually supports her, he was lukewarm, to say the least. She worked at a good firm, didn't she? Why would she quit her job for such a strange idea? Surely only freeloaders would turn up. A whole string of objections, which of course she had already thought of herself. Friends also laughed a little at first. A restaurant where you decide what you pay, that can never work, can it?
Proving that it could
Strangely enough, all those objections made her work even harder. She wanted to prove that it could be done, and that she could do it. She opened the GEEF Café (GIVE Café), where the customer sets the price. Boom Management
Her own moment of doubt came more than two years later. Early one morning in March 2015, she walked to the supermarket to buy a newspaper. Her face was on the front page, and inside was a two-page article about the GEEF Café. Her first feeling was pride. The story nobody believed in was now in the paper. The first messages poured in. Then something strange happened. Suddenly she realised that everyone in the Netherlands could now read things about her that were vulnerable and personal. And worse still: they could have an opinion about it. She no longer felt successful, but insecure and naked. She switched off her phone, cycled to the park and hid there all day.
Live your own story
Standing up for what you believe in can be very scary. Because you show yourself, people can have an opinion about who you are at your core. That is vulnerable and can even hurt. But the reverse is also true. When you show yourself, people can also be inspired by who you are and what you stand for. And perhaps most important of all: you live your own story.
Do you want to take a step towards a life in which who you are and what you do match? Then start by telling your story. Who are you and what do you believe in? What dreams do you have for your life? It may sound strange, but vulnerability and discomfort are the magic ingredients. They bring authenticity, growth and inspiration. So don't avoid them, but embrace them and share them. They show who you really are and what your own story is.
Also read purpose gives your work value and create your own myth.
About this article: this piece is based on a blog by Judith Manshanden, psychologist, speaker and author of books including Tijd voor nieuwe zaken (Time for new business) and Werken vanuit betekenis (Working from meaning). Boom Management
