Purpose anxiety! I have a purpose-driven career, and I love it. But I'm here to say that even if you have a purpose-driven career, you will still be exhausted sometimes. You will still have bad days and "meh" days. You will still fail at your job sometimes! You won't be filled with enthusiasm every single day at every single task. Some tasks will be scary (well, in my job they are) and others will simply be boring. You will still look forward to holidays and long weekends. You will still get frustrated and complain. I feel that sometimes society attributes "finding your purpose" with this shiny halo of "and then everything will fall into place". It will, to some extent. But your life won't be 100% perfect and that's okay. It's not meant to be! This shouldn't make you anxious and question whether this is really your purpose. Because, as you say, we don't necessarily have just one purpose. And purpose can literally be found in anything.
Thank you so much for sharing such an honest perspective, Sascha. It's reassuring to remember that even when we're working in a field we're truly passionate about, we're not immune to bad days or tedious tasks. You're so right; it's all too easy to romanticize the concept of finding your purpose and assume that every day will be filled with boundless excitement, but real life isn't like that.
I've found that even if I dedicate myself fully to my creative work (which I adore), I still need to deal with marketing and administrative tasks to make a living from it. So, everything comes with good and annoying sides. I hope it's okay, but I would love to pin your comment as I was hoping another reader with a purpose-driven career would share their experience.
I read something several years ago about purpose. As humans, we are the only creatures who obsess about this. Do you think animals wonder what is their purpose? No. They live and enjoy just being. They don't stress over how to be the best animal. When you think about what we do to ourselves regarding purpose, it's psychotic. Why can't we just be good humans. That is purpose enough.
I loved this so much, I just had to pin it—haha! I agree with every single word you’ve written. I think it resonates with so many people, which is likely why the note I shared last year went viral: we’re simply exhausted from always searching and just want to be. Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful week 🫶🏼
Great post Tugba. A necessary corrective. Purpose, productivity, even 'follow your passion'... Can be pernicious. I think finding meaning, often in the meaningless and mundane, often backwards looking is different from finding a purpose, often future looking. Cos then you need to fulfill that purpose, a recipe for disappointment. Finding meaning and self-worth without any achievements whatsoever without purpose, in the sheer joy of the extravagance of existence, is a good place to be.
Thank you, Seb! I couldn’t agree more. Funny enough, when I wrote this post, I looked into the difference between finding purpose and finding meaning, since we often use them interchangeably in everyday conversation. But in the end, I think it all comes down to exactly what you wrote—“the joy of existence.”
I really appreciate you taking the time to read. Happy Friday 😊
I hear you so much on this. I’m a little older than you (48 this year—cue lots of reflection!), and I’ve come to realise that purpose isn’t tied to careers, job titles, or other people’s opinions. It doesn’t have to be about productivity or influence. Purpose can be as simple as staying healthy, spending more time with friends, or finding joy in the everyday.
And there’s so much pressure to find purpose as if it’s some grand destination. But maybe being purposeful is a better use of our time—enjoying what we have and doing things as best we can, whether for joy or service. Clichéd, perhaps, but if we focus on being present and purposeful in a way that adds light to our lives, it’s far more satisfying than the endless, exhausting search for some elusive “greater purpose.”
Once upon a time when I was a coach, I would say to people: If you really want to understand your purpose, take yourself back to childhood—what truly lit you up? What would you lose yourself in for hours, completely absorbed in the moment? That’s often where your true purpose lies—your North Star, your guiding light.
Good luck with the podcast too, that's fantastic news x
Oh, I love this shift toward being purposeful—I’m a big fan of focusing on being rather than doing. It’s funny how these ideas can sound cliché, yet they truly hold so much power. In particular, being present is such a magical key to so many aspects of life, and I feel we often overlook it.
Your message reminds me of Carl Jung’s quote—“What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes?”—really resonates with me. I actually wrote a post about it some time ago. If you have a moment, I’d love for you to read it.
By the way, what kind of coaching were you giving Georgie?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave such a thoughtful comment. The best part about writing here is getting to engage with wonderful people like you. The comments genuinely enrich my life.
I love your thoughts here regarding purpose and work. The push towards a purposeful life connected to work begins early, even in grade school. I remember being in high school and having purpose anxiety as I noticed fellow students dive into learning about whatever profession they’d been guided towards.
It was also in high school that I realized that making art the center of my life was purpose enough for me. Even though I knew then that it might not be external signs or recognition of “success” or even purpose to some people, it was and is still enough for me. Every job I’ve had has always remained just that, a job and not the entirety of my life.
One of the problems with work life, especially corporate life in the U.S. is that workers are made to feel forced to accept their work as their sole identity through employers having almost continuous access to worker’s lives and time. I hope more people begin to question their purpose in order to break from expectations and find more fulfillment in the smaller things.
Thank you, Tim! Even though I’ve never lived in the U.S., I work for an American company, so I totally get a lot of what you’re saying. A friend of mine actually interviewed with our company for a position in London, and some of her interviews were conducted by people based in the U.S. She said it felt like a completely different culture—they were talking about working straight through Thanksgiving! Not that this never happens in Germany or the U.K., but I still think we generally maintain a better work-life balance here. Many of my friends don’t view work as their entire purpose, either.
It’s funny—my manager messaged me on Slack today after reading my latest post and gave me some praise, so I feel like I’m in a pretty fortunate spot compared to many others. I also work only four days a week so I can dedicate time to my creative endeavors.
I really empathize with you and other artists in the U.S., because it seems like you have to push so much harder against the system. But you can be proud of yourself for doing what works best for you! Of course, there’s nothing wrong with placing more emphasis on work if that’s what someone wants—it’s just not a one-size-fits-all scenario.
Thanks again for taking the time to read and share your thoughts. I really appreciate it!
So agree with this Tuğba. I spent a lot of years stressing over finding my “purpose” to the point that I wasn’t as present as I could’ve been in my life. It was only a few years ago after I turned 50 that I finally realized that I’m living my “purpose” with every breath, choice, action,etc…. I don’t have to accomplish anything grand, I can behave in a way that aligns with my vision of the world I want to live in, in my tiny sphere of influence. I can be kind, peaceful and compassionate with every interaction. How beautiful that you got this wisdom at 40. And congrats on your podcast!🎈🎉💕
Aww, thank you so much, Mary! It is so sad when you sometimes hear people in their seventies or eighties saying they still haven’t found their purpose, which is remarkable considering there is purpose and meaning in everything we do.
I absolutely love what you said: “I’m living my ‘purpose’ with every breath, choice, action.” That’s such a beautiful sentiment! Thank you again for taking the time to read and share your thoughts and experiences—I really appreciate it 🫶🏼
YES, I am so nodding my head in agreement with you! I'm in my late 40s and this has definitely been developing as my new way of being when you say:
"I’m living my “purpose” with every breath, choice, action, etc…. I don’t have to accomplish anything grand; I can behave in a way that aligns with my vision of the world I want to live in, in my tiny sphere of influence."
I used to worry about purpose so much, for so many years. The biggest catalyst for stopping the concern over purpose is to experience a loss. I understood that for too long, I wanted to be "special" and justify the meaning of why I was here. Now, I don't worry about doing anything other than just BE HERE NOW as often as possible. Nothing else worked for me. I now have a "good enough" job, a community that supports me and I create art as often as possible. To find my own light and be a light for others is where passion and purpose are found, all that is required.
Very true, Juliette. When my grandma passed away in my twenties, it really put everything into perspective for me—especially my relationships. She was my favorite person, and when she was suddenly gone, nothing seemed to matter as much anymore. Not in a negative way, but rather it all felt so small compared to the importance of being present with your loved ones.
Thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts. It truly makes my day to have wonderful people like you engaging with my work and offering such amazing perspectives 🫶🏼
I like that new perspective on treating a job like a job and not your purpose (and good for those that follow the opposite path if that works for them). I recently discovered I have ethical values (ew, I know) and can't simply work for anyone but need to add value to society. PS: The podcast is such a good idea! I've already followed you guys on YouTube
I totally understand what you mean, and I agree. But ethical values are a whole separate conversation. Even though I don’t see my work as my sole purpose, I still want to feel like I’m contributing something meaningful to society. That said, I don’t believe a job needs to be our entire reason for existing. I know plenty of people who work part-time in libraries, schools, or other roles, adding value in their own unique way—without letting work carry the burden of being their only purpose in life.
Thank you so much Barbs for always cheering us 🥰 It means a lot!
I totally feel you, haha! But just wait until you’re on your way to 41—I’m turning 41 this year 🤣 I’m sure everything will turn out fine, but it still feels a bit stressful at times.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, Benjamin.
I strongly believe that you, me and we are the purpose. The purpose anxiety manifests when we think we need to find purpose outside of ourselves. There is nothing to find “out.” It’s in us already. 🙏🏽
Aww, my dear Yolanda! You know how much I love reading your perspective. You’ve made such a fantastic point—one I didn’t even think of when I was writing. Perhaps the real issue is that we’re trying to find purpose outside ourselves, relying too much on external factors. Beautiful insight, Yolanda! Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work 🫶🏼
I definitely had a lot of purpose anxiety when I was younger, trying to find my way. I now call it: I was in the wrong job, or having a bad boss. 😊
I think it's natural to want to find purpose/meaning in your life and I think increasingly more people are obsessed with it today because we have more and more meaningless jobs. I mean, being a shoe repairer in your smallish community where you knew 80% of people brought so much more meaning to you than some corporate CSR director or whatever else. It's not about having an out-of-this-world career or enviable title, it's about *what* gives us meaning.
By the way, congrats on your new podcast! Will take a look.
Very true, Monica! I think it’s absolutely possible to have a meaningful job without letting it become the sole focus of our lives. I’m really aiming for a more balanced perspective these days, and I completely agree with what you’ve said. By the way, I recently picked up the book Bullshit Jobs and plan on reading it soon—have you heard of it?
Such a great point! I've had similar reflections on purpose.
I think purpose anxiety often leads people and orgs to rush into finding, defining, and claiming to have found it prematurely. Thus what happens is that we claim a purpose that isn't really ours and we also run around stating what our purpose is without even realizing that we may not be doing the things we say our purpose is about. It's talking the talk without walking the walk. It's a prevalent issue in tech (as a 15+ year tech implementation leader & manager but also a prevalent things across most marketing.)
I've since thought that a better approach would be to attempt to do the work to the fullest potential of the stated purpose to see if you are really willing to go the full length on it. Then, once you are actually doing it, you can claim it as your purpose...because it now is.
Discover your purpose through work and experimentation vs. driving with a pre-determined but poorly thought-out purpose (that you don't really believe in or want to put the full effort into.)
Of course, I'm speaking more about what I've seen regarding purpose and how organizations typically pursue it.
Your post has also led me to start reflecting on the role of liminality in seeking and achieving purpose.
Very good points, Jo! I hadn’t really considered an organization’s purpose when writing this, but you’re absolutely right. That might be why so many organizations no longer come across as authentic—because they claim certain values without actually doing the work to back them up.
By the way, I’m really curious about what you mean by the “role of liminality in seeking and achieving.” Could you say more about that?
Thank you again for reading, and have a wonderful week!
Liminality refers to the space between what is and what will become so it would likely have a role in going slower to identify your purpose instead of rushing in with a purpose already decided.
Identifying one's purpose is not an easy thing to do so perhaps its best to give it some space to emerge over a longer period of time.
Practicing liminality would help to create the space for this approach.
The other thing about liminality is that change can only happen within liminal spaces so if a change in purpose is the order of the day, then liminality is required so that the new purpose has a space to emerge from.
That’s so funny that you’re explaining this now—I actually read about liminality in a book this morning! But the book was about emotions and distractions. Thank you so much! I knew the word liminal, but I couldn’t quite grasp what it meant in terms of purpose—now I totally get it. Love how you applied it to purpose. Have a wonderful day! 😊
So cool! I may be biased but I think the concept of liminality is going to become a hot button issue given how talk about change is happening these days.
Do you mind sharing the book title?
I'm always interested in other perspectives as it helps me expand upon my own.
I think it was Indistractable by Nir Eyal—if I’m not wrong. Just checked back on my Goodreads, and I’m pretty sure he was discussing it in the context of distractions. Have a wonderful day 🫶🏼
Purpose anxiety! I have a purpose-driven career, and I love it. But I'm here to say that even if you have a purpose-driven career, you will still be exhausted sometimes. You will still have bad days and "meh" days. You will still fail at your job sometimes! You won't be filled with enthusiasm every single day at every single task. Some tasks will be scary (well, in my job they are) and others will simply be boring. You will still look forward to holidays and long weekends. You will still get frustrated and complain. I feel that sometimes society attributes "finding your purpose" with this shiny halo of "and then everything will fall into place". It will, to some extent. But your life won't be 100% perfect and that's okay. It's not meant to be! This shouldn't make you anxious and question whether this is really your purpose. Because, as you say, we don't necessarily have just one purpose. And purpose can literally be found in anything.
Thank you so much for sharing such an honest perspective, Sascha. It's reassuring to remember that even when we're working in a field we're truly passionate about, we're not immune to bad days or tedious tasks. You're so right; it's all too easy to romanticize the concept of finding your purpose and assume that every day will be filled with boundless excitement, but real life isn't like that.
I've found that even if I dedicate myself fully to my creative work (which I adore), I still need to deal with marketing and administrative tasks to make a living from it. So, everything comes with good and annoying sides. I hope it's okay, but I would love to pin your comment as I was hoping another reader with a purpose-driven career would share their experience.
Thank you for taking the time to read 🫶🏼
I read something several years ago about purpose. As humans, we are the only creatures who obsess about this. Do you think animals wonder what is their purpose? No. They live and enjoy just being. They don't stress over how to be the best animal. When you think about what we do to ourselves regarding purpose, it's psychotic. Why can't we just be good humans. That is purpose enough.
I loved this so much, I just had to pin it—haha! I agree with every single word you’ve written. I think it resonates with so many people, which is likely why the note I shared last year went viral: we’re simply exhausted from always searching and just want to be. Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful week 🫶🏼
You too:)
There is an Old Mexican Movie titled "There is the Detail", one of Cantinflas´ greatest actings.
In there the main character says something like:
If work were so good they wouldn´t pay to do it, and the Rich would hoard it.
So the Goal of Life is Living? :)
I loved this!! I wrote something really similar that you may enjoy - https://open.substack.com/pub/sineadconnolly/p/how-elizabeth-gilbert-made-me-rethink?r=tdxdn&utm_medium=ios
Already got the tab open—thank you so much! 🫶🏼😊
https://substack.com/profile/293420365-federico-soto-del-alba/note/c-91163367
What is this link Federico? Happy Friday 🫶🏼
I guess I posted in the wrong please. Sorry!.
But clicking your comment with 80% link was hilarious leading to:
"excuse me… i’m looking for purpose..."
Thanks, that was really funny, and sorry, I made a mistake, twice! for posting and clicking too fast!.
Great post Tugba. A necessary corrective. Purpose, productivity, even 'follow your passion'... Can be pernicious. I think finding meaning, often in the meaningless and mundane, often backwards looking is different from finding a purpose, often future looking. Cos then you need to fulfill that purpose, a recipe for disappointment. Finding meaning and self-worth without any achievements whatsoever without purpose, in the sheer joy of the extravagance of existence, is a good place to be.
Thank you, Seb! I couldn’t agree more. Funny enough, when I wrote this post, I looked into the difference between finding purpose and finding meaning, since we often use them interchangeably in everyday conversation. But in the end, I think it all comes down to exactly what you wrote—“the joy of existence.”
I really appreciate you taking the time to read. Happy Friday 😊
I hear you so much on this. I’m a little older than you (48 this year—cue lots of reflection!), and I’ve come to realise that purpose isn’t tied to careers, job titles, or other people’s opinions. It doesn’t have to be about productivity or influence. Purpose can be as simple as staying healthy, spending more time with friends, or finding joy in the everyday.
And there’s so much pressure to find purpose as if it’s some grand destination. But maybe being purposeful is a better use of our time—enjoying what we have and doing things as best we can, whether for joy or service. Clichéd, perhaps, but if we focus on being present and purposeful in a way that adds light to our lives, it’s far more satisfying than the endless, exhausting search for some elusive “greater purpose.”
Once upon a time when I was a coach, I would say to people: If you really want to understand your purpose, take yourself back to childhood—what truly lit you up? What would you lose yourself in for hours, completely absorbed in the moment? That’s often where your true purpose lies—your North Star, your guiding light.
Good luck with the podcast too, that's fantastic news x
Oh, I love this shift toward being purposeful—I’m a big fan of focusing on being rather than doing. It’s funny how these ideas can sound cliché, yet they truly hold so much power. In particular, being present is such a magical key to so many aspects of life, and I feel we often overlook it.
Your message reminds me of Carl Jung’s quote—“What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes?”—really resonates with me. I actually wrote a post about it some time ago. If you have a moment, I’d love for you to read it.
https://tugbaavci.substack.com/p/adulting-the-worst-game-ever-played
By the way, what kind of coaching were you giving Georgie?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave such a thoughtful comment. The best part about writing here is getting to engage with wonderful people like you. The comments genuinely enrich my life.
I love your thoughts here regarding purpose and work. The push towards a purposeful life connected to work begins early, even in grade school. I remember being in high school and having purpose anxiety as I noticed fellow students dive into learning about whatever profession they’d been guided towards.
It was also in high school that I realized that making art the center of my life was purpose enough for me. Even though I knew then that it might not be external signs or recognition of “success” or even purpose to some people, it was and is still enough for me. Every job I’ve had has always remained just that, a job and not the entirety of my life.
One of the problems with work life, especially corporate life in the U.S. is that workers are made to feel forced to accept their work as their sole identity through employers having almost continuous access to worker’s lives and time. I hope more people begin to question their purpose in order to break from expectations and find more fulfillment in the smaller things.
Thank you, Tim! Even though I’ve never lived in the U.S., I work for an American company, so I totally get a lot of what you’re saying. A friend of mine actually interviewed with our company for a position in London, and some of her interviews were conducted by people based in the U.S. She said it felt like a completely different culture—they were talking about working straight through Thanksgiving! Not that this never happens in Germany or the U.K., but I still think we generally maintain a better work-life balance here. Many of my friends don’t view work as their entire purpose, either.
It’s funny—my manager messaged me on Slack today after reading my latest post and gave me some praise, so I feel like I’m in a pretty fortunate spot compared to many others. I also work only four days a week so I can dedicate time to my creative endeavors.
I really empathize with you and other artists in the U.S., because it seems like you have to push so much harder against the system. But you can be proud of yourself for doing what works best for you! Of course, there’s nothing wrong with placing more emphasis on work if that’s what someone wants—it’s just not a one-size-fits-all scenario.
Thanks again for taking the time to read and share your thoughts. I really appreciate it!
So agree with this Tuğba. I spent a lot of years stressing over finding my “purpose” to the point that I wasn’t as present as I could’ve been in my life. It was only a few years ago after I turned 50 that I finally realized that I’m living my “purpose” with every breath, choice, action,etc…. I don’t have to accomplish anything grand, I can behave in a way that aligns with my vision of the world I want to live in, in my tiny sphere of influence. I can be kind, peaceful and compassionate with every interaction. How beautiful that you got this wisdom at 40. And congrats on your podcast!🎈🎉💕
Aww, thank you so much, Mary! It is so sad when you sometimes hear people in their seventies or eighties saying they still haven’t found their purpose, which is remarkable considering there is purpose and meaning in everything we do.
I absolutely love what you said: “I’m living my ‘purpose’ with every breath, choice, action.” That’s such a beautiful sentiment! Thank you again for taking the time to read and share your thoughts and experiences—I really appreciate it 🫶🏼
YES, I am so nodding my head in agreement with you! I'm in my late 40s and this has definitely been developing as my new way of being when you say:
"I’m living my “purpose” with every breath, choice, action, etc…. I don’t have to accomplish anything grand; I can behave in a way that aligns with my vision of the world I want to live in, in my tiny sphere of influence."
Perfect x
I was just looking at your Substack Georgie - you do such beautiful work!🌻
I used to worry about purpose so much, for so many years. The biggest catalyst for stopping the concern over purpose is to experience a loss. I understood that for too long, I wanted to be "special" and justify the meaning of why I was here. Now, I don't worry about doing anything other than just BE HERE NOW as often as possible. Nothing else worked for me. I now have a "good enough" job, a community that supports me and I create art as often as possible. To find my own light and be a light for others is where passion and purpose are found, all that is required.
Very true, Juliette. When my grandma passed away in my twenties, it really put everything into perspective for me—especially my relationships. She was my favorite person, and when she was suddenly gone, nothing seemed to matter as much anymore. Not in a negative way, but rather it all felt so small compared to the importance of being present with your loved ones.
Thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts. It truly makes my day to have wonderful people like you engaging with my work and offering such amazing perspectives 🫶🏼
I like that new perspective on treating a job like a job and not your purpose (and good for those that follow the opposite path if that works for them). I recently discovered I have ethical values (ew, I know) and can't simply work for anyone but need to add value to society. PS: The podcast is such a good idea! I've already followed you guys on YouTube
I totally understand what you mean, and I agree. But ethical values are a whole separate conversation. Even though I don’t see my work as my sole purpose, I still want to feel like I’m contributing something meaningful to society. That said, I don’t believe a job needs to be our entire reason for existing. I know plenty of people who work part-time in libraries, schools, or other roles, adding value in their own unique way—without letting work carry the burden of being their only purpose in life.
Thank you so much Barbs for always cheering us 🥰 It means a lot!
Very well said, a job doesn't need to be our entire reason for existing!
What a great read! And very current especially to me as I near the dreaded 40 🤣
I totally feel you, haha! But just wait until you’re on your way to 41—I’m turning 41 this year 🤣 I’m sure everything will turn out fine, but it still feels a bit stressful at times.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, Benjamin.
Thank you. I’m prying for a smooth landing 🤣
Don't dread it; I loved turning 40! It's great. Young enough to feel good and still have fun, old enough to be wise and know better ;)
Thanks I’ll try to keep that in mind 😀
Hi Tuğba, thank you for your perspective.
I strongly believe that you, me and we are the purpose. The purpose anxiety manifests when we think we need to find purpose outside of ourselves. There is nothing to find “out.” It’s in us already. 🙏🏽
Aww, my dear Yolanda! You know how much I love reading your perspective. You’ve made such a fantastic point—one I didn’t even think of when I was writing. Perhaps the real issue is that we’re trying to find purpose outside ourselves, relying too much on external factors. Beautiful insight, Yolanda! Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work 🫶🏼
Love this! You’re so right. It’s like searching for the holy grail!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, Naomi! I really appreciate it, and I hope you have a wonderful week ahead 🫶🏼
Thank you. And you! 🙌🏼
I definitely had a lot of purpose anxiety when I was younger, trying to find my way. I now call it: I was in the wrong job, or having a bad boss. 😊
I think it's natural to want to find purpose/meaning in your life and I think increasingly more people are obsessed with it today because we have more and more meaningless jobs. I mean, being a shoe repairer in your smallish community where you knew 80% of people brought so much more meaning to you than some corporate CSR director or whatever else. It's not about having an out-of-this-world career or enviable title, it's about *what* gives us meaning.
By the way, congrats on your new podcast! Will take a look.
Very true, Monica! I think it’s absolutely possible to have a meaningful job without letting it become the sole focus of our lives. I’m really aiming for a more balanced perspective these days, and I completely agree with what you’ve said. By the way, I recently picked up the book Bullshit Jobs and plan on reading it soon—have you heard of it?
I think I've heard of the name, but haven't read it. It does sound very timely and relevant, though... :/
Well, you know me 🤣 always late with my replies!
Anyway, I’ll read the book and report back soon. Wishing you a wonderful day 🫶🏼
Such a great point! I've had similar reflections on purpose.
I think purpose anxiety often leads people and orgs to rush into finding, defining, and claiming to have found it prematurely. Thus what happens is that we claim a purpose that isn't really ours and we also run around stating what our purpose is without even realizing that we may not be doing the things we say our purpose is about. It's talking the talk without walking the walk. It's a prevalent issue in tech (as a 15+ year tech implementation leader & manager but also a prevalent things across most marketing.)
I've since thought that a better approach would be to attempt to do the work to the fullest potential of the stated purpose to see if you are really willing to go the full length on it. Then, once you are actually doing it, you can claim it as your purpose...because it now is.
Discover your purpose through work and experimentation vs. driving with a pre-determined but poorly thought-out purpose (that you don't really believe in or want to put the full effort into.)
Of course, I'm speaking more about what I've seen regarding purpose and how organizations typically pursue it.
Your post has also led me to start reflecting on the role of liminality in seeking and achieving purpose.
Very good points, Jo! I hadn’t really considered an organization’s purpose when writing this, but you’re absolutely right. That might be why so many organizations no longer come across as authentic—because they claim certain values without actually doing the work to back them up.
By the way, I’m really curious about what you mean by the “role of liminality in seeking and achieving.” Could you say more about that?
Thank you again for reading, and have a wonderful week!
Liminality refers to the space between what is and what will become so it would likely have a role in going slower to identify your purpose instead of rushing in with a purpose already decided.
Identifying one's purpose is not an easy thing to do so perhaps its best to give it some space to emerge over a longer period of time.
Practicing liminality would help to create the space for this approach.
The other thing about liminality is that change can only happen within liminal spaces so if a change in purpose is the order of the day, then liminality is required so that the new purpose has a space to emerge from.
That’s so funny that you’re explaining this now—I actually read about liminality in a book this morning! But the book was about emotions and distractions. Thank you so much! I knew the word liminal, but I couldn’t quite grasp what it meant in terms of purpose—now I totally get it. Love how you applied it to purpose. Have a wonderful day! 😊
So cool! I may be biased but I think the concept of liminality is going to become a hot button issue given how talk about change is happening these days.
Do you mind sharing the book title?
I'm always interested in other perspectives as it helps me expand upon my own.
I think it was Indistractable by Nir Eyal—if I’m not wrong. Just checked back on my Goodreads, and I’m pretty sure he was discussing it in the context of distractions. Have a wonderful day 🫶🏼