Fireside Chat: Connecting With Your Purpose and Authentic Self

When we consider how satisfied we are with our jobs, there are often various dimensions we take into account: Am I good at this? Is there a career growth path for me here? Do I get along with my co-workers? Does my manager motivate me to perform at my best? Do I earn what I feel like I should be earning? Is this aligned with my purpose? or Is this work fulfilling?

PwC’s research around “Building a fulfilling employee experience” found that employees are putting an unprecedented emphasis on purpose, self-awareness, meaningfulness and fulfillment in their jobs. What’s more, 70% of surveyed professionals would consider an offer for a more fulfilling job and almost 30% would be willing to take a pay cut to do so.

Knowing whether something (such as our current job or career path) is actually aligned with our purpose or not can often be difficult to determine, partly because it’s often difficult to even define what our purpose is. To put it simply, purpose is the thing that gets us up in the morning; it’s also that thing that sometimes leads to feelings of inexplicable dissonance. Most importantly, our purpose has been with us our whole lives. Think about purpose as the pair of glasses you’ve spent hours looking for, only to realize they were on your face the entire time.

Our purpose is usually quite simple and broadly defined (for example: “using my unique skills and assets to help improve the lives of others” instead of “solving world hunger,” though the latter can be a way in which you address that purpose), but unearthing that concrete definition still eludes many of us. Being able to articulate what our purpose actually is helps us to make life and career choices with ease and intention, leading to a greater sense of daily fulfillment. So, doing the work of  “finding your purpose” is truly worth it. Luckily, we know a guy who can help….

Earlier this month, we virtually sat down with leadership and executive coach Chris Rollins to discuss the importance of finding and connecting with your purpose and authentic self-expression, and how we can incorporate purposeful practices into our everyday lives. 

The evening’s discussion masterfully framed the conversation in the context of viewing purpose and authentic self-expression not as a nice-to-have or luxury, but as an evolving component of your decision-making processes that becomes integral to your everyday life. If you think of your purpose as your gifts that you can offer right now, in this moment, in whatever situation you’re in, you can then better understand how and when your purpose allows you to show up and be present in any situation, including uncertain and complex moments like those we’re currently facing as a global community. 

So, how do you start doing the work? Chris suggests using prompts to get the wheels turning and dig a bit deeper: 

I feel most fulfilled at work when...

The people I have the largest impact on through my work are...

I show up most authentically at work when...

I feel most alive, energized and in a state of flow when...

Or, for a more rapid-fire thought process, think through these short, yet effective questions: 

What do I love to do?

What am I good at?

Who do I do it for?

What do those people need?

What's the impact of my work with them?

Chris also took questions from the audience to clarify how we can live our most purposeful and authentic lives today: 

It can sometimes be scary to take a leap and leave what is familiar or financially comfortable, or leave expectations behind to follow purpose (especially in cases where your purpose doesn't match your employer’s). How do you deal with this fear? 

Find ways, if possible in your circumstances, to do work that’s more purposeful for you. If you can’t reframe within your circumstance, find ways to go elsewhere. Fear is personal - sit with it and allow it to pass through you. The fear is instinct trying to protect us, and intuition (the quiet, powerful voice) will be a source of information.

 How can leaders encourage their teams to live more authentically?

Leaders have the power to create space to allow people to feel (fluffy, but important - especially in the corporate space). Check in with your team before a meeting to see where everyone’s headspace is at, even if they just share one word. 

I saw a post today about someone asking why no one on his team wanted to share their feelings regarding current situations after he called for a team discussion. It turns out, he also didn’t share because he didn’t know what to say. If a leader is not sure how to approach a topic, but knowing that not discussing it at all is worse, how can they lead that discussion? 

It’s important to be honest, without forcing it or faking it. Offering ways to share other than a team-wide conversation may lead more team members - including the leader - to feel more comfortable being vulnerable with each other. 

For additional tips or answers to more questions you may have, Chris recommends you check out Marcus Buckingham’s video, “How to Do What You Love (in the job that you have).” You can also learn more about Chris and the incredible work he’s doing to help individuals unearth their purpose by visiting his website. 

Chris is a strong proponent of Mindfulness as a great way to ease the brain chatter and unlock the power of your intuition, which guides you towards the thoughts, feelings and ideas that inform your purpose. If you’re looking for a safe space to slow down and reflect, we recommend you join Chris for a “Community Call” where he guides you (along with the welcoming community he’s cultivated) through a few minutes of mindfulness and honest reflection. 

How are we doing? We’d love your input on how you’ve been liking these Fireside Chats so far. Drop us a note at Careersteam@cfwcareers.com.