You've probably heard of a company's purpose. Just like the mission and vision. And you may have wondered what these three words mean, as well as what the difference is between goals and objectives. Despite their somewhat similar meanings, each of the five words represents different things.
Even though it's not the focus here, I'll start by explaining what the mission and vision are. These two terms are commonly used in companies, or other types of organizations. The latter refers to the place you want to achieve, what you want to be in the future, where you want to be, it's literally where you see yourself at some point in time, in a nutshell. The former, on the other hand, involves the actions that lead you to your vision, is defined by how you can achieve it and is therefore what provides the guideline for action. Both are based on the company's values.
Purpose, on the other hand, is much broader, it encompasses both terms, it can be translated into the reason why an organization, or person, exists and acts in that way, guided by its objectives, summarized in the vision and mission. A good purpose inspires and guides a life. Objectives, as already explained, are well-defined points of where you want to go or what you want to achieve; they serve as guides and, when achieved, must be replaced by new ones. And goals, which are already very detailed, are definitions of specific and detailed actions that will lead you to achieve your objectives.
Is that clear? Or was it difficult? Let's sum it up simply:
Objectives: direct and specific, they define the desire for the end point. For example, to lose weight, buy a house, save money for a trip, or even double sales or increase investment in marketing, in the case of companies.
Goals: a plan of action to achieve your objectives, they need some essential characteristics to become good, as explained in this post. For example, lose x kilos in y days or invest x% over y months in such a campaign.
Vision: this is the synthesis of the company's main objectives in a clear and inspiring sentence. They usually start with: to be a benchmark company at .... or to be the largest company in its sector.
Mission: is the summary of the company's actions that will help it achieve its vision. It usually involves several action verbs, such as: contribute, preserve, improve, and also adjectives, for example: innovative, competitive, engaged and others.
Purpose: is the set of reasons that make a company or person act in a certain way and that contribute to achieving the objectives. In addition, it also involves what impacts, i.e. what legacy, you want to promote. Examples: to move people with their music, to connect with people by helping their self-esteem, or to impact society with innovative sustainable development projects.
I think you've understood how profound and sublime the meaning of purpose is. And I bet you're also curious to discover or develop your own. Well, I've come to tell you that it's not a trivial task, but one that I'm sure will give you more motivation in your life. After all, looking for jobs, relationships and even hobbies that are aligned with your purpose will leave you feeling much more fulfilled with yourself.
So, in order to identify your motives and build your purpose, you need SELF-KNOWLEDGE! Of course! Since purpose is related to what drives you, you first need to know that answer. Fortunately, I've come up with some tips to help you, and there's an important tool called Ikigai. The Japanese name is a concept that means: "the reason for living", more specifically "iki" means "having a life" and "gai" "in harmony with your desires and expectations".
This method of self-knowledge addresses various areas and intersections of personal and professional life. It consists of a mandala made up of four overlapping circles: what I love to do, what I can do well, what I can be paid to do and what the world needs. The intersection of the four is Ikigai itself. With the mandala in place, it's easier to reflect on how to align your personal and professional aspirations, values and work opportunities.
Building yours is very simple: start by listing things for each of the four items. Don't put them in the circles yet, just think of everything that answers to each one. One tip is to do one a day, or at different times, so that you can give your full attention to each circle and list as many personal characteristics as possible. Be very honest when answering the four questions:
What do you love? List everything you enjoy doing, everything that makes you happy. Don't leave anything out, the longer the list the better, you can include objects, activities, people...
What are you good at? Put down on paper everything you think you do very well, everything you are recognized for having a good command of. Don't leave any talent out.
What can you get paid to do? Analyze the two previous lists and try to identify where your potential can be developed in such a way as to generate financial gain. Be creative!
What does the world need? In what area do you think the world is most in need and how can you help to change this reality? Do this analysis, it doesn't have to be anything extraordinary.
Once you've made the list, it's time to insert it into the mandala. Go through it word by word and see if it fits in the intersections or in just one circle.
Once it's assembled, there's nothing to stop you from going back and updating a list, or changing the contents of the circles.With the visual layout, it's easy to identify activities that fulfill the 4 requirements and are therefore important to be present in your purpose and be a focus for your life. Let's explain each intersection:
I'm sure that the process of making your Ikigai will be one of great self-knowledge and clarification of questions about your purpose.
Have you thought about making your own?
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