Having a purpose bigger than you is where it all begins…
In business I believe that the key to motivating employee’s requires two things:
- Help them identify their unique contribution to the organization and consistently recognize them for it.
- Show them how they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
Imagine what would happen if your employee’s were collectively contributing from their strengths towards a purpose that was bigger than themselves or anything they could accomplish alone. Imagine your employee’s coming to work with a bigger than life purpose (Learn more here) .
In life for many years I believed that titles, success, and money, were key indicators of whether I was living my purpose or not…turns out I was wrong!
What I have learned is that when it comes to living a purposeful life, I must have a purpose that reaches far beyond me and my minuscule, self-centered, world!
I need to have a purpose that reaches far beyond myself and is in service of others. Alfred Adler, the famous psychologist said that we find our self-worth and value by contributing to others.
Yes I know, people have written books about this idea, the great teacher taught this and we have discussed this idea of being other-centered nauseam.
So what is stopping most of us from embracing this concept?
In order to commit to a purpose greater than oneself, there must be something greater than the self to focus on or commit to! It requires giving up our ego-centric thinking and lifestyles, it requires humility.
Humility to believe that I am not the center of the universe, the world, or the world of another human being!
It requires that I set my ego aside and realize that something, whatever you choose to call it, God, Universe, Positive Energy, Love, the Source, Allah, Buddha, etc., is bigger than me!
And that my friends can be quite humbling.
So what about you?
How would you define your life’s purpose? Is your purpose about you? Does it go beyond you? How does it improve the lives of others?
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
I think this idea can apply both at home AND at work!
I wish you the best of luck in your search!
