By Doug Strickel
I recently spoke to a group of front-line supervisors about finding purpose in their job. I think it was the first time most of them ever considered that concept. If they were honest, most of them were thankful for their positions, but they just went to work every day looking to survive the day and get one step closer to payday.
I’ve been there before. In high school, I liked the idea of being a football player and playing on Friday nights, but practice was something altogether different. I just wanted to make it through those practices. I never considered the purpose or importance. I just knew it wasn’t fun but was a necessary part of the Friday night achievement.
I also remember my first part-time job at Ruston State Bank. While I was thrilled to have a job to help pay for college, I looked at that clock a time or two during the week to see when I could shut that drive-through window down and head back to my room. I was an occasional clock watcher. I loved the paycheck but not so much the process.
I guess to an extent, we all love achievements and accomplishments, but do we really value the process of getting there? Over the last few years, I have become even more input focused. There’s nothing wrong with outcome-based achievements, but those are just wishes and dreams. The inputs are what drives the outcomes.
What we do reflects who we are. Who we are becoming is much more important than what we are achieving.
I was recently reading the first few chapters in the book of Revelation and saw where Jesus made a comment to seven different churches that he knew their works. He didn’t say he read their doctrinal statements on their website, the minutes from the leadership meeting, nor their sermon transcripts. He saw what they practiced. Their actions told who they were.
I suggest we all just pause and reflect on that concept even for just a moment. Do our lives reflect the person we desire to be? Are the inputs/habits of our lives directing us to the outcomes we desire? Direction, not desire, determines destination.
We live in a world so focused on achievement, accomplishment, and recognition that it’s easy to lose sight of who we are becoming.
What’s one thing, if you started “doing”, would be a healthy habit leading to a desired destination?
What’s one thing, if you stopped “doing”, would have a positive impact on you becoming the person you desire?
The more we find meaning and purpose in the process of life, the closer we get to experiencing the meaning of life.
Doug provides professional speaking and coaching services to organizations and individuals. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build a team culture, feel free to reach out to Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
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