Purpose

The cover image in this piece is of Milan Cathedral, a place I've visited every time I've been to Milan. It has 135 spires. Its dome is 65 meters above the ground and, at its highest point, the Cathedral is over 100 m tall. It is an imposing structure by every measure you can apply, but the most mind-boggling thing about it was that it took six centuries to complete.

Building began in 1386, and the final details were completed in 1965. This detail alone, measured against everything we know by way of culture, economic development, geopolitical realities, technological know-how and sheer cost defies our own personal understanding of what is possible and what is feasible.

So, how was it done? Why does it matter to us now? The ability to capture the imagination of a disparate public whose demographics and socioeconomics changed over time and unite them alongside many different political figures, over centuries that included major European wars and other upheavals, shows the power of purpose.

Purpose, of course, has become a byword for many corporate leaders as a means of differentiating the businesses they lead from their competitors. As such, purpose, has sadly also become another buzzword that's trotted out and paid lip-service to without much thought or feeling behind it.

I've discussed the way a sense of purpose changes organizations, before.

It also changes us, at an individual level.

So, why do we find it so hard sometimes to actually find our purpose? To understand it so well that we feel it burning inside us in a way that makes every obstacle we face appear immaterial. Just another problem to be solved?

Part of the problem lies in the way we perceive purpose. Our purpose in life, for instance, just cannot be getting a new car, succeeding in our job, having enough money to never have to worry about retirement or achieving widespread recognition and admiration.

These things can certainly be goals, but in order for them to be sustainable, in order for us to be able to overcome the limiting calculus of energy spent for returns enjoyed that usually chains us to narrow-minded, short-term thinking, we have to be able to tie them into something bigger than us, beyond us.

Spreading happiness, and being happy, being of service to others and feeling useful are just two examples of a greater sense of purpose that doesn't need fanfare, flag-waving or chest-beating. Creating a world we feel proud to be part of is another. You will need, of course, to find your own.

Whichever way you go, whatever you decide, you need to keep in mind that finding what truly empowers you to be more than you think you can be only comes by changing your mind to see the world as a much bigger picture than your immediate reality.

Ultimately, a sense of purpose, is just a mental trick we employ to help us overcome the more immediate sense of fatigue and pessimism that is the natural byproduct of our physical, mental and psychological journey through each day of our lives. At the same time it has the power to unite us, empower us, give our life deeper meaning and even make us happier.

Life and business are interwoven. Just like the Milan Cathedral became an ideal that powered the thoughts, commitment and actions of generations, having a purpose we can articulate even if its ultimate completion is in a future that is beyond our lifespan changes the way we feel and affects how we act.