Purpose can be more elusive than many think.
We begin with absolute clarity about why we do what we do. Our purpose feels like a compass, pointing true north in every decision.
Then life happens.
Day by day, the urgent crowds out the important. Meetings fill our calendar. Emails flood our inbox. Fires need fighting.
Slowly but surely, we drift from our purpose – not because we forget it, but because we stop checking for it.
Here’s what the most effective performers in the world recognize: No one drifts toward their purpose, only away from it.
Like a ship at sea, staying on course requires constant correction.
The difference between those who fulfill their purpose and those who don’t isn’t in having fewer distractions – it’s in having a disciplined approach to realignment.
The best leaders understand that this discipline comes from three things: the confidence to begin, the commitment to continue, and the consistency to adjust course when they’ve strayed.
While many have the confidence to start, fewer commit to regular reflection. And fewer still maintain that commitment when the winds blow hard.
One leader we know keeps a simple note on his desk: “Is what I’m doing right now moving me closer to or further from my purpose?”
It’s not about never getting knocked off course – it’s about how quickly you notice and correct for it.
When was the last time you checked your heading?
