“Purpose”: to conduct one’s work and life with meaning

One cannot lead a truly excellent life without feeling that one belongs to something bigger and more permanent than oneself.

With these effective and brilliant words,?Mihaly?Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian psychologist emphasizes the importance of having a purpose that transcends one’s personal and individual dimensions.

What motivates us in the morning? What motivates us to get out of bed? To go to work? To do whatever we need to do? What gives our life meaning? It is purpose. The purpose we draw on is what very precisely directs our behavior choices, whether in private life or within the work environment.

If?Csikszentmihalyi?turned his gaze primarily to the individual and personal universe by theorizing the state of?Flow?as the way to achieve happiness (a state of cognitive consciousness in which the challenges posed by the environment are in perfect balance?with our skills and the purpose of the activity is unambiguous) it is, however, to the organizational world that we must look to with greater interest today.

Our companies are where we spend most of our professional?(and other) lives, and they have a very high impact on our search for purpose and meaning that-as in the opening sentence must transcend how we view reality. If companies fail in this area it becomes impossible for people to gain motivation and have a purpose that goes beyond and transcends themselves, at least in the professional sphere. The world of work, therefore, plays a fundamental role in the meaning we give to our existence and what motivates us.

Research by EY last year highlighted that?95 percent of companies say they have a purpose, a well-defined “purpose.” This is a very high number that, however, drops to 40 percent if we consider those that have a purpose that within the report is defined with a capital P. A purpose that is, one that transcends, focuses on the changing, innovating human being and that can be a model for the whole society, not just for the individual company. It is?those companies that contribute to the personal and professional growth of individuals by maximizing the value that is co-created and exchanged among different stakeholders.

However, it is not a matter of considering “purpose” as a tool for engaging people or as yet another buzzword to be included within one’s organizational models. Companies that have a clear and defined value proposition can maximize external customer engagement and involvement, attract talent more easily, preserve band value, mitigate risk, and reduce internal and external costs. This is a dimension that companies-and individuals-must reconsider and put back at the center of their personal and work priorities.

Last but not least, and no less important than what we have emphasized so far, the?dimension of purpose turns out to be fundamental to contributing effectively to the community at large. Businesses are not just the endpoint, but the key junction for the betterment of society.

If we keep this key dimension in mind — as individuals operating in companies and as people in the world — we can rethink and redesign not only our organizations but the very way we approach our entire existence. Nor can we shy away from doing so; in fact, it is a key process for every human being. And if that is not enough, it is enough to remember?Seneca’s adage:

No wind is favorable for the sailor who does not know which port he wants to land in.