On Purpose

Some time back I posted on The Unity Guy Thing and on The Epic Engage. Today, a thought occurred to me when reflecting on my LinkedIn banner description (as of April 20, 2022 anyways)... where it says...

• Leadership Mentor and Coach for Entrepreneurs, Educators and Emerging Leaders building a better world. Business Educator @ CNA. Showrunner, TUGtv. Move forward, together, stronger @ school, work, business, community.

My three areas of Service are indeed as Business Educator with CNA, Showrunner and Producer for TUGtv, and The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.

Yesterday, I posted on Congruence and Leadership and I humbly recommend the bit of a deeper dive. For here and now, that post did get me reflecting on my own practice of Congruence. With that in mind and heart, growing up in a family grounded in business and education, I am that blend. My work as a Business Educator over 28 years now... my work in leadership training and development for 40+ years... my associated work with The Virtues Project now for 20 years... they all converge on the role of business and education... and these three aforementioned prongs of Service. They combine for my own sense of explored Purpose.

Points and Purpose

My point today is twofold... inward and outward.

First, reflecting on our own Congruence is a good exercise. When we reflect inwardly on our own best and honest sense of meaning, there is a real grounding in that. It aligns and frees us. It gives us language to articulate same. Thoughts of pretense and posing melt in the face of a more clear sense of Purpose. Doubts and distractions do too. We feel less a need to compare as our Purpose is ours; our very own. We ever get better at some sense of "wholeness" in what we bring to the proverbial table.

Merlin Olsen had a personal mission that he articulated thusly...

• "The focus of my life begins at home with family, loved ones and friends. I want to use my resources to create a secure environment that fosters love, learning, laughter and mutual success. I will protect and value integrity. I will admit and quickly correct my mistakes. I will be a self-starter. I will be a caring person. I will be a good listener with an open mind. I will continue to grow and learn. I will facilitate and celebrate the success of others.”

Now, there is Purpose. But however we find and word it for ourselves, I believe and contend that it is vital to do so... as it addresses that highest of needs, self-actualization or fulfilment.

Second, and beyond the inward exploration is the outward looking of Purpose. Indeed, it was Frederick Buechner who said that...

• “Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world's deep need.”

I was introduced to this notion at 22, and hold to it now, some 40 years later. It has served me humbly well. I have found it to be a dance between what we bring and what the world (or our corner of it) needs. It is that meeting place between the inward and outward... where it finds us.

Purpose finds us. Ask Neville Longbottom. Ask Aragorn. Ask the Titans. I think Chadwick Boseman understood this better than I do even now. Purpose finds us... at that meeting place of the inward and outward.

The second and quicker point (maybe) today is that I respectfully suggest doing a bit of a dive into exploring and confirming Purpose. Purpose is a lifelong exploration and investment. Taking time periodically to reflect on same ... it matters, not unlike any longer journey where we might need to stop and assess where we are and where we are going. In so doing, I also suggest that there are no magic bullets. There are no mountaintops. That is for destination. Purpose is about the journey; the exploring. It is about the continuous mapping for meaning. And, it matters. As I have been reflecting and imagining on the next leg of my own path of Purpose...

... I am ever more convinced that (a) our lives here matter... to ourselves and others and (b) we must do Honor to that by the exploration of Purpose, inward and outward. Finding that meeting place. Whether individually or as a school, business, organization or community... exploring and articulating Purpose matters... more than ever maybe. And it happens in between what we bring and what is most needed. There, it will find you.

For me... and forward... yeah, "Leadership Mentor and Coach for Entrepreneurs, Educators and Emerging Leaders building a better world. Business Educator @?CNA. Showrunner,?TUGtv."

And a bit of the Cartoonist coming too, lol.

Diggin' it all, soulfully.

They are one of my Core Four.

Yup, Purpose matters. And it happens in between what we bring and what is most needed.

There, it will find you, and me.

Let it find us all.

Peace...

Barry Lewis Green, The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.

Me?on LinkedIn

CHECK OUT

• The Character LENS to Lead
• Developing Leadership Character – Ivey Business Journal

• TUGtv
• The Global Goals
• The Virtues Project

Epic Engage

LEAD. INSPIRE. EDUCATE. UNITE.

• You?are an Activant … an Educator, Entrepreneur or Emerging Leader who is looking to make constructive change happen, on the ground, real-world, real-time. You are world-embracing and noble-hearted. You seek to mobilize a strong, united and character-driven team to change the world or your corner of it. You want to lead, inspire, educate and unite in doing so.?Let’s go build a better world!

I?am an Activant too; an Educator and Entrepreneur by experience, education and?Enthusiasm... with 40 years in leadership training and development, 27 years in business college education and 20 years certified and associated with?The Virtues Project. Additionally certified for 16 years in Temperament Assessment and with a longstanding body of work around Character Leadership, I help advance?conversation, consultation and capacity around?Character,?Purpose?and?Unity...?and?the?global goals. My work in business and education is to help those building a better world at school, work, business and community; locally and globally.?Humans together, strong.... that is?my?meaning... and?the space I can stay forever. To that?just cause, I commit.