I discovered purpose early in life. I was probably 5 or 6 and yet, like so many important lessons, I had no idea what it was or how useful it could be. As a child I often felt a little different like there was more, or something else out there. I felt that I had a calling. I still do and as my Motivational Map will testify my key driver is Searcher; that need for meaning, to make a difference and to be worthwhile in my actions and know that they matter.
So, in 1978, I was mesmerised and had one of those stopped in your tracks experiences and it was courtesy of The Jam and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight on Top of the Pops. As the mighty Paul Weller belted out his powerful lyrics I knew that there was something in life that held a key to me and who I was and would become. I was not destined for the stage but for something. I just had no idea what it would be. Singing was certainly not my forte!
This narrative continued onwards in my life and evidenced itself in many ways that I had little idea of. It wasn’t as if I often thought “ah yes, that’s me being purposeful” it was just there in the background. I was drawn to Policing from a young age to follow my Father in what he did but also as I had a hard wired drive to community service and stopping the wrong thing by doing the right.
So what is purpose and why do we need it so much?
Purpose goes back long before we started to consciously be aware of it. God was the pre science version of purpose as folks across the planet were unconnected and followed their God which provide their purpose. Then came the scientific revolution and the Renaissance which led to more thought and discovery of the Natural World. This aligned to a wider awareness of conscious thought and a drive for self evident purpose.
Now I am both passionate about and a practitioner of Motivational Maps and as such a high Searcher. This is all about purpose, meaning and making a difference. So what I didn’t understand before starts to get a name and some depth as a driver to all that I do. Purpose runs through my entire narrative and veers me towards and away from things. It aligns to my own deeply rooted moral code that affects thought and action readily.
As a subject I could discuss for a lot longer than this piece allows I would finish on that great modern day brain Simon Sinek and the very huge Why? question. Simon brought Why? to the world with his Ted Talk in 2009. 40m views later and 47 translations that has to merit inclusion in the subject of purpose. If not familiar go look him up and if you are reflect on your Why? Your purpose and let me end on the below as the perfect close to this article penned by Simon himself
“What good is it having a belly if there’s no fire in it? Wake up, drink your passion, light a match and get to work”
Brian Bush 2021
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