Are you Clear on Your Purpose?
Who is clear on their business purpose? And who is clear on their personal purpose?
When we talk about purpose, it’s important to acknowledge that it means different things to different people. Fundamentally, it is about the "why" behind what we do – a "why" that is bigger than making money. It has meaning. We look outside and see forest fires burning, a mental health crisis, and AI reshaping humanity. What are the causes we are going to get behind?
Each person in the CEO seat has been given distinct leadership skills. You wouldn’t be where you are if you didn’t have them. So, how are you going to apply those skills to make the world better? Why are you doing what you are doing, and why does it matter?
Bigger than this is a sense of calling. Sometimes when we are given talents, like being a strong leader or an eloquent speaker, we ask: Why? We know in our hearts and minds that part of our talent is meant to contribute to a greater purpose.
But purpose is not just about doing. We also have to think about purpose as a state of being. At one of our retreats, a facilitator challenged us on this exactly. We pulled out words like courage, grace, and humility. We realized that part of our purpose is simply showing up every day to lead with character for our families and our communities. For many, being a CEO is an expression of that exact purpose.
I remember at another CEO retreat, we were exploring purpose mastery and someone asked: What’s the link between spirituality and purpose? We drew a line on the ground and asked people to stand on the line from low to high to indicate how big an influence spirituality is to their purpose inquiry.
The majority clustered in the top one-third. People who clustered in the middle saw purpose more as a clear sense of “why” and living one’s values. People on the high end saw purpose as their guided life plan. For them, it was more about letting go of control, getting out of the way, and letting one’s life plan reveal itself.
Regardless of where you stand on that line, one thing is true: purpose helps us find our tribe. Longevity research clearly tells us that finding your tribe is key to a good life.
Yet, as Nancy Mackay captures in her book, It’s Lonely at the Top, the daily reality for a CEO is often profound isolation. When you are the final decision-maker, the unseen pressures are unique. Finding a tribe isn't just nice to have; it is essential.
This intersection of peer support and purpose-driven leadership is exactly why I chair the one and only Social Purpose CEO peer group. We bring together chief executives who are actively applying their talents to activate positive social change through their business. It provides that crucial, confidential space to connect, challenge each other, and lead with character and values - proving that when you are clear on your purpose and you find your tribe, it doesn’t have to be quite so lonely at the top.