Connecting Purpose and Resilience

Connecting Purpose and Resilience, by Ryan Hansen

This post was originally part of our Finish Strong Challenge, which emphasized components of modern resilience to help participants finish the year on a high note and build positive momentum for 2021. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest on future challenges and updates from Alloy!

How many times do you think about why you do what you do?

Why?

It's a simple word, but it can be a complex question. Let's ask the same question a few different ways:

  • Why does my work matter?
  • How does my work help other people (on my team, in my company, or in society at large)?
  • What would happen if my role did not exist?
  • Who am I serving?
  • Who benefits from the work I do?
  • Who is counting on me to do my job?

Many of us get so caught up in the day-to-day grind of our work that we eventually stop focusing on the overarching purpose that makes our work important and necessary.

As we take a closer look at Finding Your Calling this week, let's talk about how purpose is key to driving our resilience.

The reality is that a sense of purpose is closely tied to motivation. Simon Sinek explains the importance of purpose in his book, Start with Why, and in his famous Ted Talk:

Purpose keeps us going. Purpose gives us something to point to when things get tough. Purpose gives us a reason to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get back on the horse. Purpose enables resilience.

So if we agree that purpose and motivation are keys to resilience, we should make sure that we know our purpose and keep it close at hand.

Grab a pen and paper (or a new page on your notes app, for the other Millennials out there), and reflect on the following questions:

  1. What is the "why" in your job? At the simplest level, why is it important that I do my job and do it well?
  2. How can I better connect my job to a purpose beyond my everyday tasks?
  3. Leaders - How do you help your team members connect their work to the bigger picture?

Here's your challenge for this today:

  1. Reflect on the questions above.
  2. Write out a short Purpose Statement. What is the why behind your work? Keep it to two or three sentences at most.
  3. Post it near your work station - tape it to your computer monitor, your dashboard, or even the back of your cell phone case.
  4. Comment below to let others know how you defined your Why today!
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