One Man’s Purpose, Another Individuals Nightmare
Several months ago I was asked why I never bring home my laptop. Instantly, I was formulating a quick and witty answer, while thinking “why are you watching my movements?” My sister tells me I’m forever trying to determine why someone is asking me a question and almost always answer based on my own detective skills. Sometimes I am right and well, sometimes I’m a little off. In this case the inquisitive mind was looking for encouragement to follow in my footsteps and boycott the urge to work after hours. I proceeded to tell him I’ve done it all: I’ve pulled all nighters and facilitated a full day of training after, worked on holidays, been on call, worked while on vacation, traveled to places where the mosquitoes were as big as me, stayed at motels where I had to move the dresser against the door, retrieved vehicles from former employees where I had to drive all the way back to the office with the windows down and worked with people who used me for their own benefit to grow within the company. Those days are done! Unless of course I’m doing it for the benefit of Spencer Consulting.
Does it mean I’m not giving 100%, quite the opposite (I am not familiar with giving anything but 150%, but that is a post for another day). When I’m at work, I’m focused, I’m precise, I’m on a mission. I can joke around, talk basketball, and hold a conversation about anything, as long as I know I’ve met or exceeded my daily goals. I now realize the activities or tasks mentioned earlier do not drive or define my success. Those things are just extras. The truth is we would not have been up all night if I had taken the lead, versus standing back and being guided by titles. There was never a need for me to work on holidays other than I felt that I had to in order to progress to the next role. Being the single woman, with no kids and jumping at the opportunity to drive for four hours into a town that had one hotel and no real place to have a decent meal did not benefit me in any way, except additional requests to do the same thing over and over again.
The things that excite me now involve building the strategy behind learning that helps to grow and develop a new generation of learners, building relationships with organizations that focus on things that are truly important and having time to spend with my family and friends. I’m driving my agenda, in charge of my direction, I know my purpose and I am no longer compromising for anyone.
This concludes the month devoted to “purpose”. If you are interested in further developing your purpose, please contact us at info@spencerconsultingintl.com. Next month I will be looking at Emotional Intelligence and why it is actually important.
Talk to you soon,