TSR #3: Purpose and the weight of finding yourself

3 minute read

What’s in this newsletter:

• Why purpose is “too big” 

• What 3 pillars you should focus on instead

• One actionable exercise for you and your team

Why purpose is “too big” 

People looking into personal development find a lot of resources on purpose, finding yourself, and even discovering your IKIGAI.

There are a few problems with this:

• Finding your “purpose”, the thing you were meant to do in this world, feels heavy and monolithic

• Driving your life in accordance with 1 single truth is limiting your opportunities for growth and fulfillment

• You’re letting perfect get in the way of progress when it comes to your personal development

What 3 pillars you should focus on instead

I encourage you to focus on a few key pillars of fulfillment instead. Here’s why:

• The barrier to entry is easier

• The focus is on sustainable growth, not quick fixes

• These pillars are flexible and can change with your needs

1. Values

Values are those high-level areas that are important to you, your north stars that you want to steer towards continually.

One example for me is creativity

2. Drivers

Drivers are those more defined things that help you live out your value.

For my value of creativity, I enjoy making music and solving complex problems.

3. Systems

Systems help structure the way you live your day-to-day, how you make decisions, and how you navigate uncertainty. Creating the right system can be your map to make sure you’re flexibly steering towards your values and drivers. 

For my example, I try to roadmap my goals around my values, stack habits to give me momentum during the day, and time block certain key activities I need to do every day.

One actionable exercise for you and your team

The first step is defining your values, which can feel like a daunting task.

Try this exercise with yourself and your team to take that first step.

Take some time to reflect on what was given to you in life (what you can't control), what you chose in life (what you decided to do about that), and what core values you hold today because of these things.

Organize them so you can connect them and tell a short story, the more storylines the better to understand your past and how it shaped who you are today.

Share your stories with your team. 

Understanding your teammates’ perception of their past and its impact on them may help you build empathy, trust, and a more human-centered team.