I was talking to my wife the other night and we were discussing a chapter in her new book Women Connected. The chapter deals with ideals in motion and we were exploring how best to describe what is meant by the term. Here’s my way of thinking about this…
Each of us has a purpose in our life – some way of identifying our existence that gives life meaning. This purpose is fundamentally different than dreams and aspirations. It is the essential core of identity. It is that which I can’t not be. I can spend quite some time clarifying and defining what this purpose is. Some individuals may never have words to capture it but they do have a sense of what their life is about. Others may actually be able to arrive at a succinct definition that, for them, captures the essence of why they exist. Still others may never consciously spend time with the question and never have a sense of it in their lifetime – “I am an accident and life is meaningless.”
Because it gives my life meaning, this personal purpose is inherently positive, life affirming, and broad enough to encompass the entirety of my life. And, it is deep enough to provide a solid foundation that can be drawn upon in times of uncertainty. As a consequence, my defined or felt purpose in life will likely be somewhat abstract and a bit amorphous. For example, my purpose as I define it is to be a catalyst for transformation - a statement that is pretty broad in its implications.
This purpose wasn’t given to me from on high. I defined it. All well and good – after all, who can dispute it? The test for me comes when I question how my defined purpose serves me in my life. How does it determine what goals I find meaningful? How does it impact my choices and experiences of life as I move toward these goals? How does it impact others? What is the meaning of life that this purpose makes possible for me? To what resources does it provide me access?
Questions cause movement. These questions are the test bed for an ideal life that, when answered, inform and propel my ideals into motion. The common theme of each of the questions is in the focus each has on creating unique experiences – how I experience relevance with the goals in my life; experience congruency in my choices; experience integrity in my relationships with others; experience meaning in life; experience utility in and with internal resources.
When my ideals are in motion – when a company’s or team’s ideals are in motion – there is inherent meaning, alignment and congruence created. The experience of living, of moving, is fulfilling regardless of whether the goal that I was striving for is achieved or not. It is fulfilling because it is not goal dependent. The goals are ultimately only symbols of experiences for which I am striving. Experiences that validate the who that I am.