My wife thinks I’m a spontaneous person. Impulsive and spur-of-the-moment.
It’s true. I am afflicted with S.O.S. – “sudden outburst syndrome” – and occasionally overshare.
“You can’t spell T.M.I without Tim,” she often says.
While it feels liberating, on the one hand, to have an unbridled tongue, it’s quite the opposite to have a life, or run a business, without guard rails.
There may be extemporaneous moments during the day where the creative juices are flowing…but without the bounds of purpose and mission, improvised leadership often goes nowhere. This is not to say every moment must be scripted. In fact, it is quite acceptable to be off-task, as long as you are still on purpose.
“True freedom has more to do with following the North Star than going whichever way the wind blows. Sometimes it seems like freedom is blowing with the winds of the day, but that kind of freedom is really an illusion. It turns your boat in circles. Freedom is sailing toward your dreams.”
Mary Bray Pipher
Your North Star is your company’s purpose – the essential foundation upon which your missional, strategic and tactical decisions are made.
Further, your purpose statement is aspirational. It is something that draws you upward in spiraling circles of virtue, like an eagle riding the updraft to soar over the storm, to become the best “you” you can be. Complementary to a purpose statement is the mission statement, and it is inspirational in nature, propelling you “to boldly go” into uncharted territories and deeper waters, so that you can achieve more than you ever have in the past. The two go hand-in-hand, and when executed properly, guide you to your dreams.
So, what would that look like? Complete these statements with something that is true for you.
“My overall purpose is _____something that you would like for an epitaph______ .”
“I deliver that by providing _______a big, hairy, audacious goal_______ .”
Next: Go do that very thing you wrote.
Allow your purpose to grant you freedom to embrace the surprise opportunities that accelerate your progress, and accept the fact that you must decline the distractions, detours and disasters which mar your path as well.
And when the winds shift from tailwinds to headwinds, keep your eye on the North Star and begin tacking. There can be nothing more satisfying than to persist in the face of adversity and to be rewarded with the attainment of your goal.
