First published on LinkedIn, December 21, 2016.
I wrote a post around Christmastime last year saying I believe in Father Christmas, which received a comment about aligning what we do with what we believe in, and that if we could align what we do with what we believe in, then wouldn’t the world be a better place?
Today, I had a great conversation with a colleague concerning why we do the things we do, which got me thinking about why I do the things I do, and whether it is about aligning what I want with what I believe in. My conclusion is that there is a third dimension – what I do. Bringing all three of these together might perhaps uncover why I do what I do.
A framework to help you align your thinking
I present this thinking here for no other purpose than to suggest it as a framework for thinking about what you believe in, what you want and what you do. You might just uncover why you do what you do, and if not, give pause for thought as we approach a New Year and those resolutions to choose something new or different.
I believe in people; I help people be the leaders they want to be; it makes me happy and fulfilled. These are the ‘whats’ in the Venn diagram. The intersections are, I believe, the ‘hows’:
- I believe in people and I help people. I do that by consulting, coaching and facilitating. That is how I align what I believe with what I do
- I do it with a non-judgmental attitude. I accept the leader you are now, confront the challenges you have and support you to make better choices, so that you become more potent as a leader. This how I align what I want with what I believe in
- Being part of a larger corporate machine would not make me happy or fulfilled. So, I do it as a freelance, self-employed consultant – coach – facilitator. This aligns what I do with what I want.
The final intersection, right in the centre of the diagram, which brings together these ‘whats’ and ‘hows’ is, of course, the ‘why’: why do I do what I do? And for me, that is the higher purpose of making a difference.
And so, I’m curious, why do you do what you do?
Jeremy J Lewis
CMdeltaConsulting
“Committed to making a difference”