[Part 1]Purpose- In life and at work!

Purpose. It’s everywhere.

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As an entrepreneur and as a human being I am deeply concerned by the way we have changed the meaning and use of ‘purpose’ in our world.

In all these years and in all my experiences and travels I have seen many aspects of ‘doing good’ for the sake of it- and primarily for self-gain/glory, for the title, for-profit etc in one way or another. Be it brands, companies or individuals; ‘Purpose’ and the need ‘to do good’ often leads one to ask- who or for what is this doing good and where is it coming from?

Has purpose become a meaningless marketing jargon? Or is purpose shining through our lives from the time we are up from our beds? Does it fill our everyday living first thing in the morning, does it fill our breath, is it the ‘raison d’etre’ for being?

Everyone uses the word in the manner they deem fit but to understand ‘true purpose’ one needs to actually live it- be it a brand or the individual. It’s on the lips of senior executives, board members alike as more and more individuals and brands/companies are beginning to understand the power of purpose and its impact on growth, life and beyond.

Purpose is very powerful as it drives relevance- relevance for who we are, where we have come from, where we are at and where we are going – a seamless, timeless space of the past, present and future all in one-all encompassing the other.

As an individual and as a man in the world; I have, many times in my life, lost and regained my sense of purpose and this can be a challenge for any individual or an entrepreneur who sets up a brand/company start-up. And then as I would look around me- I could see similar variations in others and very rarely would I have come across purpose in a truly selfless way. This is the key, and is the challenge, isn’t it? To take the ‘self’ out of the equation for the true purpose to actually seed forth.

Most ancient and eastern cultures propagated having a ‘sense of purpose’ that led to a joyful life. A life that was beyond the individual, that challenged a person to be more of his/her true self that would then also benefit one’s wellbeing. Someone waking up with purpose is known to have a healthier metabolism, fewer ingrained patterns around eating and emotions, deeper relationships, a regulated cardiovascular system, stronger immune system and virtually no mental illness or depression.

The Japanese call this ‘Ikigai’! In fact ‘Ikigai’ has now become a corporate and a lifestyle fad where everyone now wants to know instantly what is their life passion! But like all Western adaptations of Eastern philosophies, it is tricky to get it right and it solely rests on how the individual approaches and interprets it.

To find your inner purpose- you need to ask yourself 4 vital questions

What do I love to do? 

Be uninhibited and find that lost inner child who would naturally go to their inner passion.

What I do well? 

To be completely present in what you are doing is mindfulness and has immense health benefits.

What I get paid to do? 

You may not necessarily be in a job that you love, but you can find ways and means to do what your heart tells you in your free time, weekends etc and this eventually can become a source of income. AND you can bring more presence and joy to your day job so that you can enjoy yourself more in whatever you do.

What does the world need? 

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To sustain your passion for years to come – its imperative to understand what impact your actions will have in the world and people around you.

To be in the flow of things is what assists in knowing your purpose and then strengthening that. To understand what the world needs from you, as an individual and as a brand/company, can actually give an evolutionary perspective. And it’s not about happiness so much as about engaging and being curious of the world around. Relationships in the real world is what fuels our purpose- How we are in it?

To me, a Life without purpose is like living in a body without Soul!

Our brand founder and author of this blog Chetan Jha is leading not just change but also innovation across the board through best practices that echo understanding and reflection. He is available for consulting projects and loves speaking on various platforms. He loves tech, integrates digital into brick and mortar businesses and is passionate about the evolution of humankind.