Passion and Purpose - finding your North Star amidst the short term superficiality of new year's resolutions.

Reflection and growth are, and always have been, the core of my work as a teacher, leader, consultant, and coach. In this sense, as January 1st rolls around again, the annual making of new year's resolutions seems both natural and yet superficial and somewhat short-sighed. If I have learned anything over the years, it is that short term goals that are not part of a longer-term, bigger picture vision are not sustainable and lose their relevance and meaning far too quickly and easily. It is hard to hold yourself to account to something that does not have longer term or broader significance. You need a sense of direction, a compass, a guiding light that helps you focus on achieving your goals as steps along the way to a higher purpose.

In the world of education, I found my passion and purpose and that is what I essentially strive to help others uncover in my daily work now.

Teaching young learners the power of reflection and the importance of continual learning and growth helps ensures independence and autonomy for each individual as they create their own pathways in the short, medium and longer term. Now as a consultant and coach I find myself serving the same purpose but for adults and for organisations as a whole. But a question remains - how best to hold ourselves accountable to maintain those projected pathways?

Creating, reviewing, and renewing mission, vision and values statements force a stronger and deeper connection to self, the school/ organization, and the development of a mindset or culture of accountability can be established based upon well-considered, meaningful, and significant commitments related to purpose and passion, and working step by step towards an aspirational and truly worthwhile vision.

My work with schools as a consultant and individual school leaders as a mentor and coach is based upon the institutions and the individuals having a well-defined sense of self and a clearly articulated vision of where they want to go. I love this work – challenging people to dig deep to really understand the core of what they do and why they do it and how they do it differently in ways that are unique to them, that set them apart. Then they can start to focus on their North Star, their mountaintop that they are striving to reach, something that takes them out beyond their current reality, remembering the best vision statements create a tension and restlessness in relation to the status quo fostering a spirit of continuous innovation and improvement. Their vision will provide a sense of purposeful action and help them make a ‘dent’ in the world, leaving a lasting legacy.

Whether I am supporting schools in reviewing and revising their guiding statements, working with a governing body or leadership team to ensure their strategic direction, decision-making and operational actions are aligned with their mission, vision and values, or inspiring a school or organisation to move to reflection and growth practices in support of learning and development rather than appraisal and performance management approaches, all come back to the foundational commitments and shared understandings about why we do what we do, and where we hope to be and what we aspire to be achieving in order to make a positive difference now and into the future.

The same principles apply whether you are articulating a personal professional mission and career vision statement and living by a set of values that speak to your core and guide all your behaviours, or whether you are undertaking this process for a school/ organisation or a team. Whatever is created, the statements and values should hold up to public and personal scrutiny – you should be able to measure success according to whether the decisions you make and the actions you take are in true alignment with these commitments. If the statements are not useful for this purpose they may need reviewing and renewing.

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Although January is traditionally a time for reflection and renewal, you can begin the process at any time. Sometimes it is a life event or a tragedy that spurs us on to reconsider what is important in life and how we can use our precious time and energy to contribute more to the world and the people around us. Working in Japan these past few years, I have been introduced to ‘ikigai’ a concept meaning a reason for being. Having a strong sense of ikigai means you are in a place where passion, mission, vocation, and profession intersect. ?

This resonates for me, reminding me of Stephen Covey’s ‘The 8th Habit’, a book gifted to me back in 2004. It has guided me on my journey to find my voice and to dedicate myself to helping others find their voice and place in the world.

My pathways within the world of international education have enabled me to find my voice and enjoy a sense of ikigai. At each junction along the way, I have asked myself the following:

1.???? What need(s) do I see here?

2.???? Do I possess the talent/vision to meet the need?

3.???? Does the opportunity tap into my passion?

4.???? Does my conscience inspire me to take action and become involved?

By exploring and articulating your mission, vision, and values you are in a much better position to know which road to take for yourself and to use those foundations to lead your organization. Only then can you focus on strategy, and the shorter-term goals and objectives. As per the timeless advice, begin with the end on mind.

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Here’s to a year of mission, vision and values aligned decision-making and action in 2024.

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