What’s the Point? The Importance of Purpose

I believe there are no accidents in life.  I believe that everything and everyone has purpose and things happen for a reason.  Whether the outcome is good, or bad…there is a definite reason for the occurrence.  Our job is to determine the purpose and how it relates to our life or our goals. 

Merriam Webster defines purpose as “something set up as an object or end to be attained; an action in course of execution.” In business, the company’s purpose is often tied to revenue potential.  In education, purpose may be tied to the level of understanding and knowledge achieved by the students (how many students advance to another grade or graduate).  In an organization, purpose may be correlated to the number of members on the roster, or the number of people served by the organization.  From a personal perspective, purpose may be correlated to a person’s level of giving or charity, their relationship with their family, their earning potential, or their ability to connect with others in a meaningful way.  A person’s actions should reflect their purpose or their intended outcome or goal.  Otherwise, the actions are meaningless.  For example, most people attend college to obtain a degree that will afford them greater earning potential.  How many people do you know of who attend college to pass the time away? People join professional organizations to network, obtain professional development, or to achieve certification.  Would you join a professional organization to pass the time away? Get the point?  So the question becomes, what’s the point? Why do we do what we do – why do we join the organizations that we join, or volunteer with civic organizations, or work for the companies that we work for?  Are we acting with an intended purpose in mind, or are we just passing time. 

My small business provides administrative support and business management services for small businesses and nonprofit organizations.  When I started my company, I knew I wanted to make money, but beyond that, my goal in starting the business was to help businesses and organizations grow by providing administrative support and management consulting.  I targeted small businesses and nonprofit organizations because they were, in my opinion, the most in need of my services more than a more established or revenue infused business or organization.  As I wrote my business plan and truly gave thought to my goals or reasons for starting my business, I realized that my overarching purpose in starting my small business was to serve those small businesses and organizations that didn’t have a big budget, but still needed support at an affordable price.  So my actions, advertising, and communication with clients and potential clients are driven by my desire to help them grow their business first, establish a mutually supportive, long-term relationship second, and increase my revenue third.  By understanding my purpose for starting my business, my actions are deliberate and the outcomes are more measurable.

Henry David Thoreau once said, “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”  Take time and think about your purpose.  Question your actions – why did you join that organization or that team or that company? Once you determine why you have made the choices that you have made, then the question becomes, am I making deliberate steps to fulfill my purpose?  Are you applying your skills appropriately, are you sharing your thoughts to help improve conditions around you, are you on the sidelines when you need to be in the game?  Know what you are fishing for before you get in the boat.