The Inspiring Conversations Series featured a discussion about self-leadership and purpose with guest speaker Richard Leider, founder, Inventure–The Purpose Company and author. This virtual event was led by Tom Schreier, Founding Director of the Inspired Leadership Initiative. Through this discussion, Leider explained the three sure signs of purpose, purpose throughout hardships, and the universality of meaning.
In the beginning of the conversation, Leider introduced the ultimate leadership challenge: self-leadership. Having studied this purposeful path for four decades, Leider explained that he hopes to show his audience three sure signs of purpose. Before delving into the three signs of purpose, Leider explained that purpose is not a luxury. Purpose is fundamental, universal, and enduring. Leider had travelled to almost every continent, which allowed him to look at purpose through the lens of different perspectives and angles. Universally, Leider spoke of the importance of recognizing the three m’s (money, medicine, and meaning) in order to live a true and fulfilling life.
Quoting the philosopher Schopenhauer, Leider explained that every idea undergoes three stages. The first stage is ridicule. People looked at purpose as a waste of time, focusing on money. The second stage is opposition. Integrated medicine did not see purpose as the center of their work, initially. The third stage is self-evident. Now, purpose is everywhere, from business schools to healthcare organizations.
Leider explained, science and faith agree in the importance of purpose. However, he also touched on the fact that it is unknown whether purpose is inherent or acquired over the course of life. Leider explained that he believes it is a combination of both, for everyone has a purpose to make a difference in the world. The bottom line of purpose is “Who are you?” and “What do you want?”, and Leider has found that what people want the most is to belong and to matter.
In the next topic of conversation, Leider explained that purpose is a choice. He learned this from acclaimed author and Leider’s role model himself Victor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning. Through reading this renown novel and through listening to Victor Frankl speak, Leider learned that purpose starts with a choice inside, manifested through a choice on the outside. The freedom to choose one’s attitude under any given circumstances is one of the most powerful messages embedded in the transformative novel.
Next, Leider explained that purpose is an aim as well. Through interviewing older adults, Leider has discovered three things that they usually say when asked if they could live their life over. First, be more reflective. Secondly, take more risks in the area of work and relationships. Lastly, mattering matters. Although life begins with a self-awareness, life is ultimately about “us,” about the world coming together in a purposeful life.
In Leider’s eyes, the three sure signs of purpose are: 1) “How do I want to help?”, 2) “Who do I want to help?”, and 3) “What am I willing to sacrifice for?”. In regards to the first sign of purpose, Leider touched on his own experience with purpose, While working in HR administration, he would work as a life couch during lunch, calling it his “side hustle”. Through this experience, Leider learned that although people can have a job and a career, what people want most is a calling. In the second sign of purpose, he explained that the most vital aspect of this is curiosity, for you must follow your fascinations in order to live a fulfilled life.
In the last topic of discussion, Leider echoed the importance of Victor Frankl’s quote: “Don’t ask what my purpose is today, ask, “What is life asking me now, in this moment?” He called his audience to make each day purposeful, growing and learning with every moment in order to truly find meaning and matter in everyday life.
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