MONEY WITH PURPOSE
There is only one way to become spiritually and financially rich - the ULTIMATE formula to living a happy and meaningful life - and that is when you connect your purpose with money.
I recently wrote about Finding your Purpose and how important it is in order to live a meaningful and happy life.
Today I want to talk about your Purpose in relation to your job, business or career.
Your Purpose will give you Meaning in your life. Your job, business or career will give you money. When you blend these two, you create the ULTIMATE formula: earn MONEY with MEANING.
There is a reason why companies have a Purpose, a Mission and a Vision and that is so that everyone involved doesn't forget what they stand for, what the company is working for. The same concept applies to you.
To give a proper definition for Purpose, Mission and Vision can be a bit confusing, as different authors (and companies) use them in different ways. The important thing is to use them, as they will help you to know where you are going, and enable you to figure out the best way to get there.
These are my definitions of Purpose, Mission and Vision.
Your Purpose guides you – it is your WHY.
Your Mission drives you – it is your HOW.
Your Vision is your destination – it is your WHAT.
PURPOSE
Your Purpose guides you – it is your WHY.
WHY you do what you do, why you exist. Your Purpose lasts your ENTIRE LIFE. Indeed, one cannot fulfil one’s Purpose in this life: it’s like a guiding star on the horizon. Forever pursued but never reached. We serve our purpose till the day we die.
Your Purpose does not change, but it does inspire change. The fact that your Purpose can never be fully reached means that it is a never-ending learning process.
Your Purpose should solve a problem and create happiness for others. It doesn’t matter what you do, whether you are a banker, a photographer, a cleaner, a teacher or a comedian… whatever you do is about contributing toward solving an issue in someone else’s life.
Your Purpose manifests in your inner world. Your Mission and Vision manifest in the outer world.
MISSION
Your Mission drives you – It is your HOW.
Your Mission is a snapshot, a description of the ideal way you see yourself in your business or career in the future. What are you going to do to serve your Purpose? What strategy are you going to use to go from A to B? What will it take to accomplish your purpose? What difference will you make, what change will happen?
Your Mission is also like the fuel for a car. It is what gives you power every day to fulfil your Purpose. It is the link between your Purpose and Vision. Your Mission is what keeps you focused on doing what really matters while eliminating all distractions. It is the plan that delivers results and creates an impact.
Your Mission is your Vision in action, connecting your purpose with your impact.
VISION
Your Vision is your destination – It is your WHAT.
It is where you will be in the near or distant future; the results you want to achieve, or the measurable impact you want to make when you arrive at the destination. Your Vision aligns all the people involved in the process. It is an on-going process of aligning your Mission to your Purpose.
The decisions that most people take in their lives are usually based on whether the outcome will make them feel a bit better or worse. But are those decisions based on Purpose? If yes, you are on the right track if not, now you know why most people get lost in their lives, not knowing how to move forward.
Your Purpose must totally ignite you. You must be passionate about it, as you will be giving up your life to it. You will be trading your time and work for money.
But here is where most people get it wrong. They trade their lives for money and not for meaning. It’s pretty obvious, but most people make the same mistake. They make their decisions based on what would work as opposed to what they are passionate about. Money is not the end result. Money is the bonus.
It doesn't matter how many millions one might have, if one is not living a life based on Purpose, one won’t be living a life with meaning.
Consider what you are doing now. Are you doing it because you want to do it, because you should do it, because it is convenient to do it, or because you thought it would make money?
When it comes to money, people usually focus their attention on how to MAKE more money. But the right question is how to EARN more money.
How can you package and deliver your Purpose in a way that is financially successful?
For that, you need to know what problem(s) you will solve in people’s lives. ONLY when you know what problems you will solve, you will know what people will be willing to pay for.
Money is a problem solver. Money exists as a result of solving a problem.
So what problem can you solve in people’s lives? How can you help people? What abilities do you have? What are you passionate about? How can you inspire, bring beauty, joy, compassion or love into this world?
When you put together what you LOVE to do and what you are GOOD at, you will become spiritually and financially RICH. That I can GUARANTEE.
When you are PASSIONATE and COMMITTED with your PURPOSE, your MISSION and VISION you are 90% closer to live a life of MEANING and FULFILMENT.
Here’s to your money with purpose.
Nico
