How can you bring your best self to work, if you don’t know who you are?
Purpose is sometimes seen as two big a word or idea to think about, yet if we aren’t clear on our ‘why’ or what’s important it can set us back. It can also be the key to us being our best.
I look at purpose as something that is forward thinking. I used to get so hung up on this, asking myself ‘what is my purpose and why am I here?’ Now I think it’s simpler than that. It’s still important, but it’s much more fluid and natural if we give it a chance.
By exploring it we get to play and remind ourselves of the things we once loved. Sometimes we even get to bring them back to life. If we keep asking ourselves why we stopped doing that one thing we loved? Or how did we move so far away from our dreams? These types of questions can cause us to avoid looking at this properly and finding out more.
The truth is there’s never a reason for any of this to become a pressure. Firstly, it’s not a disaster if we aren’t clear on our big purpose. And secondly, it’s simply about understanding what we care about right now and what we value most. But either way it’s definitely necessary to review when considering how to be our best selve at work.
Purpose evolves and changes as we grow and change. I don’t believe it’s static and so revisiting who we are and what we care about is not just necessary, it’s essential if we truly want to develop and have than sense of fulfilment.
If you are wondering how to be true to yourself and bring your best self to work then start by looking at your…
Purpose – look at what you love, what matters to you, what you are good at and what you can get paid for (Ikegai model).
Values – this is so helpful. It supports decision making, how you work and what you’re willing to put up with where you work. Jackie Le Fèvre does some great work in this area.
Strengths – find out what you’re good at and where you have natural talent. Read ‘Now, Discover your Strengths’ by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O Clifton.
I’ll leave you with this quote from Mark Twain ‘The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.’
Purpose, values and strengths form the foundation of the framework I developed called EDGE.
