Reconnecting With My Purpose

This week, as we continued to introduce ourselves to London, it’s helped me reconnect with NOBL's original mission. Our 4 years has been frenetic and has dragged my attention and passions around.

I started the company after watching greed and hubris rip apart Undercurrent, after I watched the final months of someone’s life, and during a sudden divorce. I was reeling in lots of ways and building something was a salve.

I was trying to answer some hard questions. What was I making of my time here? What was I leaving behind for others? How could I insulate whatever legacy I might build from my own greed and hubris?

I named the company after Alfred Nobel so that the question of my legacy would be shouted at me everyday I went to work.

And I set out to carry that question to every client I met with. We spend 1/3 of our lives at work. We know most of our friends through work. We’re building something together, but are we proud to call it our legacy? If not, why?

Some people hate that word, legacy. But it doesn’t have to be a monument to narcissism. It’s what you leave behind. Family is a legacy. Friends are a legacy. And work can be a legacy, too.

But there’s so much in the way of our intentions becoming our outcomes at work. Inertia, ego, fear, etc. that’s where I feel called to service. Challenging and eradicating those barriers for others.

People often call us “Noble” by mistake. I’m alright with it because I believe it’s noble to serve others. I’m called to make my legacy by helping others build theirs.

I’m feeling renewed. The work of growing a service co is still immense, but I’m remembering why I set out to try to do this hard thing. Much of this has been catalyzed by the new folks who have joined us, like Lauren Currie and Natalya Sverjensky.

If you’re out there leading or founding, take the weekend to remind yourself why. If we can help you build your legacy, come find us on Monday morning.