Intentional Tuesdays

What is a calling?

purpose work Jun 30, 2020

Get to the Point...

Most people want to find more purpose and meaning in their work. Most people would love to have a calling. But very few people pursue their calling because they (1) don’t think they have one, or (2) they worry about having to give up everything they already have to look for their calling.

Neither of these are true.

If you’re interested in finding a bit more “calling” in the work that you’re already doing, I’m hosting a 5-day Challenge starting on July 6th. Even though the title is “Consultant Calling” you don’t need to be a consultant to get massive value from this training. Check out the details at www.consultantcalling.com

The Full Article

Do you have a calling? Most people would say they don’t. I think most people would say they have a job. A lucky few would say they have a career. But almost nobody would say they have a calling. At least not one they’re living.

For me, this a devastating reality. I’m one of those people who believe th...

Do you have a job, a career, or a calling?

purpose work Jun 25, 2020

Does it matter? It might. Depending on your answer, it might be the most important question you should be asking right now. Your overall sense of happiness and satisfaction is tightly correlated to your answer.

Before we get too deep, let’s explore what we mean by Job, Career, and Calling.

When you have a job…

You have to do it. It’s a matter of survival. Your job is a means to an end. You do the job to make money. To make ends meet. A job is mostly about you.

Of course, as part of your job you provide service to someone else. Every job is a service to someone. But with a job you feel distanced from that service. A job feels like “work" because there’s a disconnect between the what and the why.

Chances are, you are pretty good at your job. After all, that’s what allows you to keep it. However, in this job, you are probably not hitting your sweet spot on a regular basis. You probably sense that you’re being asked to do the wrong things.

When you have a ...

Why You Need a Manifesto

growth purpose work Jul 23, 2019

You need to write a manifesto. In the next 250 words I want to convince you that you can, and should, write your personal manifesto.

I know, I know. Manifestos get a bad rap. Following in the footsteps of Karl Marx and Ted Kaczynski isn’t high on anyone’s list. But let me ask you this…who among us doesn’t feel just a little bit crazy?

Another knock on manifestos is they always seem to be really, really long. Hell, even Jerry Maguire’s, The Things We Think and Do Not Say, was 25 pages long. Who’s got that kind of time? Nobody. That’s why I’m proposing a much shorter structure. Exactly seven sentences. They don’t even need to be complete sentences or grammatically correct either. Boom.

Ok, but who wants all that attention? Does anyone really care what I have to say anyway? I don’t have anything worth sharing with the world...I hear you.

But you’re getting ahead of yourself. Your manifesto isn’t for everyone else. At least not initially. In the early ...

Are You Hitting Your Mark?

creativity growth purpose work Jul 09, 2019

How do you measure your effectiveness and impact? If you are like most people, you focus exclusively on the end goal. After all, it’s all about results, right?

But what if your focus on the end objective is actually limiting your results?

Have you ever been bowling? Where is your attention just as you release the ball? Where are you aiming? Your answer to this question will reveal your skill as a bowler. Good bowlers don’t focus on the pins. Good bowlers focus on the aiming arrows on the floor just a few feet in front of them. If the bowler ‘hits their mark’ there’s a good chance the ball will hit the pins in the right spot.

Turns out, it’s easier to roll 10 feet perfectly than it is to roll 60 feet perfectly.

Now, back to the original point. Where is your focus in life? Are you simply aiming for the end result and hoping to roll the perfect strike? What would it look like to have some aiming arrows in everyday life?

A couple of weeks ago I talke...

Why Do You Get Up Each Morning?

blue zone purpose spirituality work Jul 02, 2019

Umm, because I have to?

Sadly, this is probably true for most of us. Take a moment to consider the implications. It means we’d choose to stay in bed all day rather than getting out into world. Now, I don’t think most people really believe this, just the fact that it's our default reaction is cause for concern. We identify more with a sense of obligation than a sense of significance or purpose. Not only is this heartbreaking, it’s killing us.

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know the Blue Zones are five locations where people live longer, healthier lives than anyplace else on the planet. One of the common themes across the blue zones is the elderly have a strong sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. In Okinawa, they call this ikigai. In Costa Rica, it’s plan de vida. Regardless of what you call it, the effects are the same. Studies have shown that people who have a clear goal in life live longer and sharper than those who do not. (p. 282).

Does yo...

Landing on the Moon

designed disturbances fearlessness fun purpose Mar 30, 2018

Most of us live our entire lives in a state of mild distraction. I literally can’t complete this sentence without my mind wandering to a dozen unrelated things. Whew. That was exhausting. Why do I do this? Is there anything I can do about it? I went to the moon to find out.

Ok, maybe it wasn’t the moon, but it was what I imagine the moon would be like. In fact, I was in Joshua Tree National Park. My plan was to make this a mini vision quest, which includes 3 major elements: nature, fasting, and solitude. Unlike my previous vision quest, I didn’t have any particular “topic” that I wanted to explore. But, with my wedding a mere 30 days away, it seemed like a good time to get away and spend some time with the wild horses that roam the vast emptiness between my ears.

Since my goal was to be alone and spring is a popular time to visit Joshua Tree, I entered the park at one of the less popular trailheads. After hiking in several miles I found a spot that gave me confidence I ...

Your 2 Journeys

growth lifelong learning money purpose work Mar 19, 2018

Recently, a friend came to me to get my thoughts on a dilemma she was facing. She had just received a really great job offer that would allow her to make a lot more money, offered tremendous career development opportunity, and would shorten her commute, to boot. “What’s the problem?” I asked? She said, “I feel like the work that I do in my current job is really important. I feel like I’m doing good in the world and I don't want to lose that.” My friend was experiencing “diverging journeys” and by recognizing this she would be able to stand confidently in her decision about whether to take the new job or stay in her current one.

Each of us is simultaneously living two distinct journeys. In their lecture, The Hero’s 2 Journeys, authors and screenwriters Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler describe the inner journey and the outer journey. The hero’s outer journey is the visible challenge that comprises the main plot of the story. The inner journey is the story of the hero’s p...