Do you live to eat or...

I got an opportunity to visit my boarding school on a trip to India last month. My guide was showing me around the campus that had obviously changed from the time I was there during my middle and high school years. She gave me a sample of the afternoon snacks children get at the school nowadays. As I took a bite into the meal, these words uttered by my Principal came to mind – “Do you live to eat or eat to live?”

My school was modeled after a typical British boarding school. Strict discipline was an essential element of the school’s culture. Even so everyone agreed that the food tasted terrible at times. Some students decided to complain to the Principal about it. They went up to his residence and lodged a complaint. Our Principal posed this question – “Do you live to eat or eat to live?” What he was saying wasn’t that food was unimportant. What he was telling us was that our primary purpose of being at the school was to get an education.

On my flight back to the US, I got to thinking about what the larger lesson was from that incident. My mind kept coming back to the words Purpose and Focus. At school my purpose was to get a solid education. That meant I had to focus on those things that would contribute to that purpose and tune out all the inconveniences. When I started working, my purpose was to build software applications for my clients on behalf of my employer. That my colleagues and I were sometimes put up in cramped rooms or that I had to occasionally drive long distances to a client’s office were minor inconveniences. When our service men and women go on missions, it’s a safe bet that the work conditions and environment aren’t exactly five-star!

When I started my journey as an entrepreneur, my purpose was to build a firm that delivered value to our clients through our IT consulting services. Along the way there were all sorts of inconveniences and distractions that I had to deal with without letting myself get off-track. It wasn’t important that I go out and buy the best furniture or lease the best office address in town. My clients simply didn’t care about that because it didn’t deliver any value. When I became a father my purpose was to be the best parent I could be to my children, by nourishing them with food, shelter, love, education and values. When I volunteered with community organizations and non-profits, my purpose was to help them fulfil their objectives. There are no guarantees of success as an entrepreneur, as a parent, as a spouse, as a member of society. Indeed, there is no common definition of success. Whether success is a journey well-travelled or the outcome of one’s efforts is the subject of another blog. On those occasions when I let distractions and inconveniences take center stage my purpose suffered. When I stayed steadfast to my purpose by remaining focused on the job at hand, it invariably worked out.

As I think back to my Principal and his message to his students, I can’t help but think that he certainly fulfilled his purpose of providing not just schooling but true education. Think about a time when you were so focused on your purpose at work, play or home that no amount of inconveniences came in the way. Didn’t you feel pleased about yourself, regardless of the outcome? Share your “Do you live to eat” story.