Finding Your Purpose

I've been thinking a lot recently about how we can be more purpose-led in the boardroom.?I remember many years ago listening to a speaker talking about how he was ‘living his purpose’. He spoke passionately about the orphanage he had built in Asia. He shared the tragic circumstances he had rescued the?kids from. He told us about the day he hired a minibus and took them all to see the ocean for the first time. He was so emotionally invested; you could almost feel his drive for what he was doing. I was really moved by his story.?

Missing the point entirely, I arrived home later that evening, crying as I told my husband that I wanted to build an orphanage.

I’m no better qualified to run an orphanage than the alcoholic Ms Hannigan in the musical Annie.

What I actually wanted, was to feel that same passion, fulfilment and sense of achievement. That deep sense of connection that humanitarians like Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela all had driving them.

Over the years, I’ve come to realise that few of us mere mortals experience that same intensity when it comes to our purpose. Most of us are not born knowing what we are here to do and we?put ourselves under immense pressure to figure out that ‘one thing’ that we should be doing with our lives.

Author John Coleman (“Crafting Your Purpose”), says the 3 common myths about purpose are:

#1 Purpose is something you find

#2 Purpose is a singular thing

#3 Purpose is static

When we stop looking for that one-single-big-audacious-thing, we take the pressure off, and open ourselves up to finding smaller, (yet still meaningful), purposes across the many different areas of our lives.

I think this is why board roles are so exciting. You can have a board portfolio across different areas of interest, that each individually and collectively bring joy, fulfilment, deep satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.?

It’s no secret either that boards can free up your time, which in turn enables you to have more downtime to develop purpose in other areas of your life outside of work and provide you with more overall balance.?

So if you’re struggling to find your big ‘why’, perhaps have a look at all the little ‘whys’ you have in your life and see if you can turn the volume up on them. Maybe your purpose doesn’t have to be as static, singular, or as earth shattering as you think? ?

Here's to your board success!

Sally Parrish GAICD

Executive Coach, Founder of the Board Coaching Institute, Amazon best selling Author of "The Essential Field Guide for Company Directors", host to the "Board Success Podcast" and "Insider Insights Podcast" and creator of the "Board Success System".