Written by: Imani Missouri, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Here’s the tea: Only about 25% of Americans reported they have a clear sense of their purpose. According to Rick Warren in his bestseller Purpose-Driven Life, “The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years…we typically begin at the wrong starting point – ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future? But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose”. For some of you, that quote jolted some introspection and for others, you are in the “mine” field. No matter where you are on the spectrum of supporting this stance, I encourage you to read further.
In life, we are driven by either something or someone. Rick Warren notes five common drivers: guilt, resentment and anger, fear, materialism, and need for approval. Taking a look at the career side, you will see some correlations between life and work. Indeed notes “People are motivated in their professional lives by certain factors, including money, recognition, power, passion, and meaning”. I would argue that even the driving forces Rick Warren notes are somewhere below the surface when it comes to making career decisions.
So what then is a purpose-driven opportunity? It is one that is pulling you further towards your unique purpose rather than distracting or derailing you from it.
So how can one position themselves for purpose-driven opportunities?
First, let’s lay down some rules of engagement for a life of purpose:
You were designed and fashioned with a purpose so consult the Chief Designer and Creator of it all: Newsflash! A stork didn’t bring you to earth. Consider this, you wouldn’t go to an Android tech assistance team for an issue you had with an iPhone, would you?
Discover and rediscover your gifts: This may be a tough one to marinate. Your gifts, not necessarily your talents, will help guide how your purpose may take form throughout your life and career. “You’re talented, but talent is manufacturable”. ~Yvonne Orji, Bamboozled by Jesus
Purpose produces seeds: You will be challenged and tested in your pursuit of purpose. What comes to fruition as a result of those challenges, will produce seeds of personal and professional growth.
You pursue some and you are used by some: “Not everything goes the way we pray or believe sometimes. At times, our expectations end in disappointment instead of victory”. ~Nicole D. Scott, What's Your Super Power Anthology
Positioned for Purpose – An Abbreviated Checklist:
Does it align with the will for your life?
Is it pulling you towards or away from purpose?
What is the driving force behind your pursuit of this opportunity?
Are you being/ will you be stretched in the area of your ease/flow?
Does it/will it add more fruit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) to your character and your career?
Additional Resources:
Listen: Purpose Fuels Motivation – Valorie Burton
Watch: Know Your Why | Michael Jr.
Imani Missouri, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Imani Missouri is the Principal Owner of Faith Forward LLC, where she leverages the essence of faith to coach leaders toward their purpose. She has a number of faith-centered sub-brands that motivate women of color to reach their full potential in the professional sphere and beyond. Some of which include the Forward 40 (4tea) podcast, which highlights the experiences of 40 women of color on the rise in the nonprofit and social enterprise sectors. She is also the founder of The Forward Academy, a faith-centered professional development platform for women of color seeking to define themselves beyond their titles. Her career spans experience in the nonprofit, community development, and education sector. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for DIFFvelopment, a nonprofit that creates historically and globally conscious Black visionary leaders who believe in Black business, take responsibility for developing solutions to the issues Black people face, and have unshakeable pride and confidence in themselves. She is also a member of the Medal and Nominating Committees for Smith College.
