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If you’ve heard anything from me in these sporadic newsletters it’s that purpose drives everything. Passion. Performance. Planning. Profitability. Everything.
You’ve also heard me rant about how most statements of mission and vision – those statements which supposedly define the reason for our very existence – are often nothing more than meaningless mush.
I even trademarked the phrase “Peak Purpose™” because I was so tired of seeing programs on “peak performance” without even a reference to purpose. People will do what they are obliged to do without having a purpose; but there is absolutely no way you will see superior performance without one.
All this to say I thought I had a good grip on this purpose thing. Heck, I’ve written three pretty decent books on the subject. But in creating and now having implemented our new Transformational Executive Events program I’ve made new discoveries. Before I describe those discoveries let me extend an invitation. If you’re an executive…if you even know an executive…go to www.TransformationalExecutiveEvents.com and take a look at this breakthrough executive team development program based on current brain research. I was excited just developing the program and now that I’ve seen the impact it has I’m downright euphoric. So are the clients.
Here’s my discovery…
• Purpose is different and opposite to Intention.
• Power is different and opposite to Force.
• Purpose is power based and intention is force based.
• Purpose generates energy while intention consumes it.
Purpose comes from inside and is a natural evidence of your existence. The oak tree is the purpose of the acorn, not its intention. It’s a natural system. It has to be that way. I believe there is a higher purpose to your life and the life of your company that has to be. As Ray Charles said, “The music’s gotta do what it do.” Your purpose has to do what it do too.
Intention is you seeing something external to your self and wanting to go there or get that. Let’s say I have the intention of learning to play the piano. While I’m beginning to plan out the execution of my intention I see a program about a six year-old who’s playing piano with the Boston Philharmonic. Did this prodigy ever have the intention to play the piano? I suggest not. He or she plays out of purpose.
Try this: list a few of the things that keep you so busy right now and then decide if they are being driven by purpose or intention. I guarantee you’ll feel different energy between the two.
Power and force parallel the discussion of purpose and intention. Power is virtually effortless while force is exhausting. Purpose carries its own naturally renewable power source. The reason there is such stress at work is because people are driven by intention rather than purpose and so exhaustion and stress have to be the outcome. When I speak and write I feel energized because that work flows out of purpose. Just thinking about learning to play the piano depresses me. First I’ve got to buy the darn thing and I don’t really have a place to put it. Then I’ve got to find a teacher who’ll probably start me on stupid scales. I don’t even want to talk about the practice time needed.
You’ve heard an Olympic athlete say they practice six hours a day, often starting at 4:00 in the morning. You’ve got to be nuts, we think…but no; they’ve got to be on purpose. Purpose has to do what it do.
Power has stealth capabilities while force always elicits counter-force. Imagine a Sensei saying to a karate student: “Now try to force your hand through those boards.” Try the force technique and the boards will rally against you and break your hand. As we all learned from Mr. ‘Wax on Wax off’ Miyagi, seeing through the boards gives you power to break them almost effortlessly.
Most leaders try to implement change through force which is why we have so many seminars on how to “cope” or “manage” change. People “resist” change we’re told repeatedly but it’s actually force they resist. It’s a law of physics.
We actually start planning change by setting up a “Task Force” – a refreshing and energizing label don’t you think? Some companies even have a “Sales Force” – an approach guaranteed to generate resistance and exhaustion.
You and your organization will never tire when you work from purpose. Not only that, but you will almost effortlessly draw clients and customers like a magnet.
Excuse me; I’ve got to cancel the delivery of that piano.
Ian