Tom Rohrer
PhD, MFT
Mailing Address
1250-I Newell Ave., No. 225
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-595-6433
Email:drtom@success
workscoaching.com
Web:www.successworks
coaching.com and
www.tomrohrer.com
As a performance coach and the owner of Success Works Coaching, Tom works with individuals, groups and businesses on a range of human performance issues.
Tom will help you get clarity on your goals and provide strategies to achieve them, while keeping a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Coaching will help you increase your happiness, health and success.
Through coaching, Tom will help you uncover your cognitive, emotional and psychological obstacles, develop your best personal structure and the strategies and tools for developing your optimum performance.
Focuses:
* Building Resilience
* Authentic Happiness
* Conflict Resolution
* Public Speaking
* Sports Performance
* Test/Evaluation Anxiety
For more information about Success Works Coaching visit www.success
workscoaching.com
and
www.tomrohrer.com
925-595-6433
Email:drtom@success
workscoaching.com
In This Issue
Hello. Beginning this month, there's a change in the format of my ezine. It now includes one article in its entirety below. This month's article is about purpose -- how to find it in the work that you're already doing and how to create a career based upon it. As you read through the ezine, please don't hesitate to call if I can help.
The Business of Purpose
Beyond the Box
Relevant Reading
Today's Quote
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The Business of Purpose
Two bricklayers are working alongside one another at a building site. A man walks by and asks one of them what they're doing.
The first bricklayer replies, "I don't know and I don't care. All I do is slap this crummy mortar on these crummy bricks and pile them up in a crummy line."
The other bricklayer smiles, proudly proclaiming, "I'm helping to build the new cathedral."
We've all met people who focus on the "what" they're doing instead of the "why" they're doing it. It's difficult to feel passionate about something when we're missing the meaning behind what we're doing and why we're here.
So why are we here? What's our purpose?
How a person defines purpose has as much to do with his or her mindset as it does with personal, philosophical, cultural, religious and scientific beliefs.
The Purpose of Knowing Your Purpose
Defining purpose in work, life and business is not about the daily tasks, it's about the reason for the tasks in the first place – the why, not the what. Discovering purpose allows a person to create the vision behind the tasks, and knowing that vision can dramatically change results.
For example, a chef's purpose is not to cook food – that's a task. The reason for this task is to help people enjoy life by having a good time with loved ones around a meal they didn't have to prepare (or clean up) themselves.
People who are fulfilled at work know how the work they do supports the company's vision, values and goals whether it's their own company or someone else's.
Knowing your purpose helps:
- Give meaning to everything you do.
- Guide you through tough times and difficult decisons.
- Encourage you to follow your instinct instead of following the crowd.
- Motivate you on your journey even (or especially) when you encounter failure or rejection.
How to Fulfill Your Purpose AND Make a Living
We've been talking about finding purpose in the work that you're already doing. If you want to envision a career, based on your life purpose, try the following approach.
1. Determine your strengths.
Life purpose is directly related to personal strengths. E.g., if communication is your strength then your purpose may be found in that area.
2. Determine your passions.
Passions are the things you love to do - with or without external rewards (like money or recognition).
3. Determine your causes.
Identify the causes that matter to you. Is there a condition in the world that makes you feel discontent or compels you to action?
4. Find the sweet spot.
After detemining your strengths, passions and causes, find the overlap between them. That's the sweet spot, where you're likely to find the most fulfillment in your work life.
5. Your mission, should you choose to accept it...
Based on the information above, write a personal mission statement – it can help guide your passions throughout your career.
It's not (necessarily) about the money.
Instead of focusing on a money goal, try setting goals that "add value" - a goal that improves the quality of people's lives or of the earth. Whether you're a bricklayer, a coach, a CEO or a solopreneur, it's ultimately through helping others that we all achieve our life purpose.
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The following questions are designed to broaden perspectives, to open vistas, to widen the lens. There is no one right way to approach them. You can journal about them, talk to friends, create art, ponder them while driving, work out to them--whatever helps you explore "outside the box."
- Like in the chef's example, in a few words, describe the purpose in the work that you do.
- Do you feel fulfilled at work? Does your connection to purpose have anything to do with why you do or why not?
- From the exercise in the article, what is your "sweet spot"? What would have to change in order for your work to embody your sweet spot?
Relevant Reading
Go-Givers Sell More, by Bob Burg and John David Mann
The Daily Six: Simple Steps to Prosperity and Purpose, by John Chappelear
Developing Exemplary Performance One Person at a Time, by Michael Sabbag
Today's Quote
"Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles."
~Steve Jobs (1955 - )
Copyright 2010 Claire Communications