Now’s The Time To Figure Out Your Purpose

In my earlier Command Post, “10 Principles of Leadership” (http://bit.ly/2elQuVm), I introduced my own 10 leadership principles and shared some thoughts about what should be a lifelong, thoughtful process of defining our leadership principles. That means determining what our personal beliefs or principles of leadership are and, then, truly appreciating how our life experiences have led us to our beliefs. In my view, our leadership principles should be born out of our own experiences, not the experiences of others, although what we learn from others—both those with more and less experience than we may have—will naturally inform our conclusions.

But in the end, no matter what we might adapt from others’ lessons, or what we might reject, our leadership principles should be genuinely our own. As I wrote earlier, “You can’t fake it, not with any sense of personal and professional fulfillment, and usually not very convincingly.”

My first principle of leadership is about living a life of purpose: Living a life driven by purpose is more meaningful and rewarding than meandering through life without direction.

I suppose that if I had to point to a single leadership principle more important than all my others, this first one, for me, would be most important. In fact, my personal purpose defines what it means for me and organizations that I lead to do good (Principle 2). It clarifies for me why it’s so important to put people in the right jobs (Principle 4). It explains why it’s important to build diverse groups who spark innovation (Principle 6). And it’s why we can accept without regret the fact that not everyone in an organization will not necessarily continue on his or her journey with that specific organization (Principle 8). This first principle helps me guide my life’s journey, my decisions about which organizations and groups of people I’ll join and how I’ll spend most of my time.

Before thinking about what it means to live a life driven by a purpose, think for a moment what it’s like to live a life without a purpose, without clear direction. I think it would be a little chaotic. Opportunities present themselves, and there are no clear, steady, stable reasons to which you can point in deciding to accept or reject a proposition. Certainly, you might guess right every time. Or, you might guess right 50 percent of the time. And, hopefully, you’ll learn a lot about yourself when you miss the mark and find yourself somewhere you absolutely do not want to be. But I think you’ll too often find yourself pursuing unfulfilling goals before you get to the right place for you. You’ll suffer. And people you lead will suffer. And, you’ll miss out on a lot of opportunities to grow and achieve and contribute that you might otherwise have had.

Here’s a worst-case scenario I regularly share when discussing this subject. Imagine you are at the end of your life’s journey. Around your bed are your closest family and friends—people you love, and people who love you. They ask, “Did you accomplish your purpose in life?” It would be a sad moment if you could only say, “I don’t know. I never decided what my purpose would be.” I’m afraid there are far too many who live long, healthy lives full of opportunities who find themselves at the end of their journey realizing that they never discovered their own purpose.

I decided at an early age what my purpose would be. And I’ve stuck with it ever since. I learned very early as a Boy Scout that I found fulfillment serving others, helping make others’ lives better. That’s why I chose the United States Military Academy. It’s why I chose military service. (In fact, I believe that most people who join the military have a strong sense of purpose—that’s why service members transitioning out of the military often look to redirect their purpose with organizations like The Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, and Team Red White and Blue.) After serving in the Army, my purpose—helping make others’ lives better—is why I chose to join Procter & Gamble among many, many other companies. There, with P&G brands, I could work to help improve the lives of 6.5 billion people around the world. That’s why I stayed with P&G for over three decades. My purpose is why I was honored to accept President Obama’s nomination to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. It was an opportunity to improve the lives of the men and women I care deeply about.

But you don’t have to have the reach of a Procter & Gamble or a cabinet secretary to exercise your life’s purpose—whatever your purpose is, or whatever you decide it will be. If you’re a team leader, a squad leader, a platoon, company, battalion or brigade leader, you really have a duty to have a clear purpose. Indeed, people are happier and more fulfilled working for leaders who operate with a clear and consistent purpose.

If your purpose is about caring for people, you have the opportunity to fulfill that purpose and make people’s lives better every single day. You do that, in part, by ensuring your people get the best equipment and teaching them how to take care of it. You do it by designing and providing the best military training you can. You do it by encouraging them to improve themselves and giving them real opportunities to take advantage of college courses that will make them better people and help them transition more easily to Veteran status when that time comes. You owe that to those assigned to your organizations, and you owe it to their families serving and sacrificing right alongside them. All of it is about defending our nation and keeping it secure. But it is also about improving the lives of people.

Whatever your purpose is, I think it has to be something that informs your life every day. If it’s only relevant once in a while, maybe that’s not really your purpose. It might still be something important, but I think purpose is more fundamental than that. My life’s purpose is my guiding star. I work daily to have a positive impact in the life of just one person. Presented with new opportunities, I can always ask, “Will this endeavor give me the opportunity to improve others’ lives?” It gives me clarity and direction at every important decision.

For me, living a life driven by purpose is far more meaningful and rewarding than meandering through life without direction.

So right now is the time to start figuring this out. Don’t delay.