Flying with a purpose

Last night I indulged myself in one of my simplest yet most enjoyable pleasures. I slipped my freshly showered and body oil spritzed self between fresh sheets on my bed. I don't know why that does it for me, but it just does. I would do it every night if I had the time or energy. As it is I make sure it happens a few times during the month. I know, I know, sounds like I am easy to please. Truth be told this would tip the scale in someone's favor in a battle to win my heart.

Before my indulgence, I was fortunate to participate in a focus group of women. The purpose of this group was to discuss how to apply basic marketing (branding) techniques to our personal and professional lives. In other words, how did we want people to see us and what did we represent. The facilitator told us that before we can work on our external (extrinsic) selves, that we had to be in touch with our core, our internal (intrinsic) selves. That is not always an easy thing to do. We often lose, hide or relinquish our core for various reasons. Often that steals our joy. To assist us in our flight to self awareness, she asked many questions. The most provacative question for me was "Why do you work?" She encouraged us to look beyond the pat benign responses such as: I have to, I need to eat, and I need to support myself for the answers that reside deep within our very souls.

After a few mumblings, a few were daring enough to respond. The answers were surprising and varied. One said that she worked so that she would never have to depend on a man for anything. Another said to that she worked so she that she would not end up like her parents. Another said that she wanted to give herself the life she never had as a child. Another had something to prove to someone else. My favorite was "So no one can tell me what to do. So I can be in charge". (I promise you that I did not say that. I may have thought that, but I did not say that.)

Now I challenge you to answer the question "Why do you work?" Please do not respond with superficial retorts. Please go deep within yourself and discover the truth. You don't have to tell me. You don't even have to say it aloud or write it down. You only have to tell yourself. I believe that only then can you expand your horizons, become a much better navigator, and fly with a purpose. Your true purpose. Not the one someone gave you. Not the one that someone told you that you should have. Not the one you borrowed (when you were not flying in the direction of your own wind). And certainly not the one you think you should have. Know and understand your true purpose, the one that motivates you. The one that fortifies you. The one that lifts your spirit to fly.