[Live Bigger] The Boat Bloody Sings

I was working with a 25yr old on his purpose statement. He'd never given it any previous thought, but was happy to ‘give it a crack’.

He knew he had leadership ability but had avoided it in his role as a technician in an equipment hire company.

[Aside]

I’m a strong believer in the power of purpose. Consciously answering why I am here.

I see purpose as your signature statement – what distinguishes you - to you.

It’s that fundamental.

It’s your most fundamental belief – I believe I am here for this reason

It’s your most fundamental commitment – this is ‘the hill’ I am prepared to die on

It’s your most fundamental fear – dying without having lived into your potential

It’s your deepest fulfilment – mastering purpose skills = exquisite joy.

It’s the home of your deepest settlement – this is my truth; where I feel most ‘at home’. Certainty.

It reconnects you directly to ‘Source’ energy.

I go for a resonant purpose statement, one that fulfills three criteria:

• 2 – 5 words – easily recalled
• 8+/10 resonance – every cell in your body resonating
• worded in your everyday language – your voice

So, back to our young man.

He was a big guy (6 ft 4) and had been asked to join the rowing 8s when he was in secondary school.

He found the whole experience to be excruciating – he hated getting up at 4.30am for training. He hated the ‘old school’ coach yelling at him. He hated his lack of fitness.

But he did recall one standout occasion.

His team got through to the finals on Lake Karapiro. And in that race, there was one soaring moment – each of the rowers, their oars, the water, the breeze, even his breath… blended in one crescendo of perfection.

He described it as ‘Even the boat sang’

What a beautiful phrase!

I asked him if that was his purpose – to create circumstances in which everything, even the ‘boat’ sings.

“Nah,” he said. “It would have to be The Boat Bloody Sings”

Ofcourse! That hit the mark. He was pumped.

Within 2 months, he was running the branch, focused on creating states where everyone and everything sang. That’s leadership.

And self-leadership. He had ignited his true north beacon.

Purpose, when connected with, has such vitality, such visceral potency.

And it's a crucial neglected ingredient in resilience.

I believe that any discussion about resilience, that does not include purpose, is systemically flawed.

That’s why Purpose is included of my webinar ‘Becoming Burnout-proof and expand your leadership resilience and capacity’ coming up in two days

More details on how to touch extraordinary-you can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/mvxn68vh