Live your Purpose: Work your Purpose

Recently I was trying to figure out if I was working to live or living to work. It was a question I’ve contemplated for a while. With the popular fad of work-life balance, I questioned if I was out of balance. The answer kept coming up as a resounding – YES! My friends are my co-workers, I spend time off work with co-workers, I wake up early to get my mind right for work, I read books on the weekends for work and I work on the weekends. One day a business partner asked me, “How are things outside of work?” It dawned on me that there is very little I do outside of work.

But was I out of balance?

Am I living to work?

Then it dawned on me… when you know your purpose, you work and live your purpose. There is not separation. Both are moving you towards your purpose. It is an integration. The stumbling block is not balance. The stumbling block is figuring out your purpose.

Figure out your purpose

Easier said than done

Here is what I know from my experience and research. Ask yourself these questions:

1. What do you do confidently? Confidence comes from competence. It is in these areas of our lives we spend the most time passionately pursuing greatness. If you are willing to spend time and energy pursuing something, you will find it consumes much of your time. There is a reason. Your purpose could be hiding in it.
2. What brings you fulfillment? Fulfillment is not to be confused with fun. Fulfillment is reenergizing and long lasting. We all need to have some fun but it is in the moment. Fulfillment will carry you though difficulties of the day. Fun will subside when obstacles approach.
3. What type of role-model do you desire to be and for whom? Being a positive role-model for your kids, family and friends drives your actions and attitude. Pause and think about the role-model you desire to be and who are you working to influence in a positive manner?
4. What do you want said about you at your funeral? No one really wants to think about their death, yet we hear people talk about how special someone was by the size of their funeral. When you leave this earth, what impact did you have on your piers, family and friends? How many people did you impact and how? What is their perception of the role you played in their lives?

Careful not to hide

As I have been contemplating this idea of “work to live or live to work”, I realized two things. 1.) When you figure out your purpose, work and life are integrated to fulfil the purpose. 2.) I might use my passion for my purpose to hide from other areas of importance in my life where I have fear and a lack of confidence.

Take my advice, don’t use your passion for work as an excuse to hide from the important yet difficult relationships. Don’t use your passion for work to run from your fears at home. Important relationships are important for a reason. If there is something you are trying to avoid, it will not be resolved by spending time and energy elsewhere. Dive deep and ask yourself, “What am I hiding from?” You can not ignore the fear, it will hold you back. To explore this concept and release yourself to really pursue your potential, read “What is really holding your back“.

Be Spontaneous

When work and life are integrated to fulfil a bigger purpose, it is easy to overly focus on the path. Life will pass you by before you know it. Take a spontaneous moment with your loved ones. Do something outside the normal routine. Drive a different way to work. Stay in bed a little longer with your partner, spouse, significant other. Watch the sunrise. Watch the sunset. Take a few spontaneous pauses in the day. Take life in.

I don’t know if I am really working and living a life to fulfill a bigger purpose or if this idea is just satisfying my brain. I am not an expert in the field. I am just a person living everyday like you and trying to figure out life one day at a time.