Last night, in the midst of online shopping and banking, having some reality television on in the background (yes, it’s a weakness of mine :smile: ) and catching up on some emails, I came across this article on Forbes titled, One Interview Question You Should Ask Every Candidate. It immediately sparked my interest and once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. The online shopping, banking and reality television all went away, and I was consumed with this article.
The article wasn’t simply about how to conduct an interview or the kind of person to hire. It was also about looking within oneself, which the author of the article has absolutely done and is at this moment running with purpose and loving the work that he does.It was asking yourself the question about what gets you up in the morning, what are you inspired by, what do you want others to remember you for, and when in your life have you been so passionately focused on an activity that you lost track of time? The other part of looking within oneself for these answers is knowing whether your individual purpose aligns with your company’s purpose.
There is a woman named Nicole Curtis, who is the host of a show (again reality tv, I know, I know) called Rehab Addict. Nicole rehabs historic homes that are sometimes on the verge of being bulldozed. You can literally see and feel her excitement as she goes into these homes, uncovers hidden treasures like beautiful stained glass windows and returns these homes to their former glory. The analogy I can most compare this to is a kid in a candy store. You can tell that Nicole loves what she is doing. Restoring homes is her passion and she wants to help restore neighborhoods, the pride in the neighborhood and the homes in them for the people that live there. I believe HGTV as a company shares this purpose of restoring and renovating homes to help the people that live in them and the people in the neighborhoods around them.
Nicole Curtis and the author of the article I read have this in common. At work, they are like a kid in a candy store, living their passion and purpose and feeling that the company that they are working for aligns with their passion and purpose.
I feel lucky enough to feel like a kid in a candy store too. I have a passion for design, simplicity and learning and I use these passions to do what I love which is to help people feel engaged, happy and appreciated at work. There have been twists and turns where I was not in a “candy store” persay, but I found my way back. When work doesn’t actually feel like “work”, it is one of the best feelings.
So I ask you, are you feeling like a kid in a candy store? And what does purpose mean to you?
Run with Purpose Challenge
To get this challenge started, I am inviting you to join in on the conversation. If you are interested in sharing your stories, please post a blog in the Career Center space here on SCN with “Run with Purpose Challenge” in your blog title and respond back to one of the questions below:
- My purpose in my work is definitely not ___. I tried ___ out and after this experience I realized it really wasn't for me, but ___ is. (Give an example of something you tried that may not have worked out, or has helped redirect you to work that has been more enjoyable and rewarding for you.)
- What inspires you the most about your work right now?
- How do your passions contribute to your work?
- How does having purpose/passions in your work allowed for career success or advancement?
- How do you think your work create a positive impact for other people or the world?
- What does it mean to run with purpose and how does it relate to the work you do?
Share a fun fact and photo of yourself along with your blog post, or a photo of your office or country if you’re camera-shy.
To promote your blog on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, etc., please use the tags #RWP and #SAP.
Enjoy and have fun!
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