Let’s Go Deep… Why Do You Exist?
Purpose. The dictionary defines it as “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.” Don’t pass by that thought too fast – think about what that statement means for a moment. Based on that definition, purpose is the entire reason we exist. It’s why we show up. It’s what gets us out of bed in the morning and drives how we spend our waking hours.
Soak that up, ponder it, and then answer these three questions:
- When it comes to your business, what’s your purpose?
- Go a little deeper… As a human being, what’s your purpose?
- How are your at-work and at-home purposes tied together?
As an agency, we spent some valuable time at OrangeBall defining our purpose. The concept of purpose is something we invest time helping our clients discover and talk about every day. It’s core to our work, but when it came to defining purpose for ourselves and our own brand, it suddenly felt a bit more complicated. We were too close to our brand and too passionate about it. Knowing that, it made sense for us to pull in an outside voice to help coach us through defining our purpose. Our good friend Jaime Taets from Keystone Group International spent a day helping us unlock the following:
“Our purpose is to impact the world by guiding others to unleash their potential with a servant approach.”
This statement now hangs in our office near the front door. We see it when we walk into our office each morning and pass it at the end of the day when we leave. It’s there when our clients come in, and we pass by it when we go out to see clients. This statement is a permanent part of the OrangeBall culture, and it defines the experience we’re trying to create for our customers.
Breaking it down, there are three main keys that our purpose embodies.
- First, we are focused on creating an impact. Everything we do for our clients concentrates on doing big and small things that will significantly help their organization, and we don’t do work that doesn’t support this.
- Second, our goal in everything we do is to help our clients see and reach their potential, in some cases potential they couldn’t see on their own. We do this because this is what our mentors have done for us, helping us recognize our own potential.
- Third, it’s our mission to serve with a humble heart, always trying to give more than we get. Taking the servant’s approach helps us keep our attention on our clients, allowing our business to grow based on that client-first focus.
At work, when an entire team can find an aligned purpose like we’ve created at OrangeBall, the sky’s the limit! It sets the tone for the kind of culture you’re trying to create, how you’ll do business, and what really matters amidst all the noise and distractions. We’ve used it with our own team in both the hiring process and our day-to-day work to help calibrate everyone around our values and mission. It’s allowed us to all row the boat together, in one direction, heading toward a shared destination that we’re all excited about.
Our reason for sharing this today is two-fold. We want to challenge each of you to define your purpose, both professionally as an organization, and personally as a human being. Today’s the day to plant your flag and say this is what I’m here for. This is my purpose.
And, if you’re struggling to define this on your own, we want to encourage you to pull in those outside voices that can help you. We all like to think we have all the answers, and we’re self-sufficient. If there’s one thing we’ve learned at OrangeBall, including outside voices like Jaime’s and some of our other mentors has made all the difference. Don’t be afraid to let others in, or invest in them as a way to help get your organization to the next level. They will help amplify and accelerate your results.
Call-to-Action
Here’s the deal. Purpose matters… and defining your purpose matters just as much as having a purpose. For your business, AND for you personally, we want to push you to get locked in on discovering your purpose. Use that to create some momentum and elevate everything you’re doing going forward. And, if you need someone to bounce ideas off as you’re working through this, we’d love to serve you with a listening ear and some outside feedback.
