Why purpose, resilience and empathy matter during tough times – A lesson from the next President of the United States

Last week the United States of America elected their 46th president.

I don′t want to go into detail regarding what has happened over the last 4 years, the election itself or what is to come over the next few months. There are different perspectives regarding policy approaches and that′s fine.

The key point is they elected Joseph Biden as their next leader.

An awful lot has been written about why he seems to be the right person to lead the country during these very turbulent times, but three words were used over and over again.

Purpose. Resilience. Empathy.

Joe Biden has suffered personal and professional tragedies that are unimaginable for most of us and he has shown these three qualities over and over again. But why does it matter for an article like this on LinkedIn you ask?

Well, throughout this year most of us have struggled in one way or another whilst the Coronavirus is changing our lives for an indefinite period of time.

Companies are adapting to the new environment by cutting costs, adjusting their workforce and developing new working arrangements to ensure they get through the economic turmoil.

Small business owners are worrying about the survival of the business they have developed and grown over years whilst fearing that they will run out of cash at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Those working in the hospitality and event industries along with those working in the arts, are basically banned from their profession.

Employees are worried if their jobs are safe and what will come next in their careers.

Jobseekers are facing a much more competitive and shrinking labour market whilst worrying about their future or (in the worst case) how to ensure to get food on the table for their families.

There is a lot of suffering and worry in the world today.

Ok, and why are you writing about a politician then?

I’m glad you asked.

During times like these we all look for examples of how to get through a difficult period. A piece of advice, some stories to be inspired by and yes… some signs of hope.

When I went through difficulties in my life, like a divorce, adjusting to living in a new country, losing my job or an uncertain future, I was looking for those signs and examples.

Whilst I found many at the time, some had a more lasting impact than others.

So here we are, back to the next president of the United States.

A man who overcame his stutter during his childhood, who lost his first wife and young daughter at the age of 28 in a car accident, who brought up his two young boys as a single father, who survived a life-threatening brain aneurysm in 1988 and who lost his eldest son to brain cancer in 2015. Talking about suffering and loss, huh?

When I studied his life, I learned a few lessons and quotes that I remember each time I struggle, suffer or have a feeling of loss and no hope.

1.  “You′ve got to have a purpose.“ – Find something in your life that gives you meaning. Every person has to define what their purpose in life is. If it is your job or your business …. great. If it is your family, your kids, helping others… great. If it is self-growth, learning and travelling the world… great. You get it. Find a purpose and live for it.

2.  “Failure at some point in your life is inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable.“ – It′s easy to feel that the situation you are in or the feeling you experiencing will never change. That you should just give up. Here is where resilience kicks in. Get up. Move forward. Even if you do a little step, it is a step forward. It takes strength and effort. But each step will bring you closer to a brighter place. Take it and embrace each moment.

3.  “Empathy matters. Compassion matters. We have to reach out to one another…“ – If there is one thing that matters most in tough times it is the ability to have empathy. To do that whilst you are struggling yourself might look hard. But really it isn′t. Other people struggle too. Hell, many likely even more than you. Reach out to your friends, be kind to strangers, listen to others and provide comfort and support. It will help you with your own struggle and it will almost certainly make a positive impact in the lives of others. By doing that you are already creating a better world for yourself and others.

I do realize this is not a typical post for a professional network.

But at the end of the day, we are all humans who live imperfect lives with highs and lows. How we behave and act during our low points in life will define much more of who we are and what our future will look like.

Many of those behaviours and habits are needed in our professional lives as well. Especially if we want to succeed during the difficult months that lie ahead of us.

Of course, we all have different interpretations of what success looks like. You can find it at work, at home, in friendships, in your purpose or within yourself.

For me one form of success was also captured in a quote from the next US president: “A father knows he's a success when he turns and looks at his son or daughter and knows that they turned out better than he did.“

I wish each of you the success you are striving for and that you are coming out of these tough times safe, healthy and hopeful.