| “It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense. It would be a description without meaning—as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure.” |
It seems almost inevitable doesn’t? Like going to the bathroom. It will happen because it HAS to happen. The search must begin, the questions have to be asked, and the reflection needs to take place. How will you do it? How will you tackle this ever-changing beast?
The search for one’s truth. The search for one’s path in life. ‘What am I doing?’ or ‘Why am I here?’ These are inevitably things the everyday leader needs to be willing to explore. They aren’t fun questions to investigate partially because there are no ‘true’ answers. It is just a subjective self-reflection. A person telling themselves what they want, or their why. It feels like something that has always been known, but maybe hasn’t been said out loud.
So then why does the leader need to ask these questions? Why will the leader ever explore this part of their thoughts?
The reason lies less with the answer and more with the process.
The answer really could be anything. A person works because they have a family to feed. They work because they want to make a parent proud. They get up because they’ve always felt that they have a calling in this world to help people. They work because they don’t really know what else to do.
A leader has to know their direction because they need to be able to speak with conviction about their purpose and the direction they are choosing to go. Part of being a leader is setting direction. It is about guiding themselves and others down a particular pathway. It is driving action forward. It stands to reason then that there needs to be some level of direction. Some method to the madness. Some passion to the pursuit.
What is that passion? How does one find it?
There is a term for all of this, it is called intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is the volition and initiative driven by something internal. This could be the mastery of a subject, the pursuit of progress, need to be productive, fun, and/or establishing some level of autonomy. Through this motivation, this drive, action takes place. This action typically is focused in a particular direction. This direction is usually a basis of what the answer to the previous questions set.
This is a process. An ever-flowing, never solid, process. Through this process a leader is able to deepen their own understanding, strengthen their convictions, and feel comfortable in their direction. They can breathe a sigh of relief as they realize that the direction they are setting is not something permanent. They can muster the energy to drive forward, even when it seems like the odds are stacked against them. They can feel good that their time spent will never be time wasted.
And there is the answer to the reason.
If a leader looks at themselves less as a machine and more as a person, a leader can develop some POWERFUL energy. A good leader can change the world. They can free themselves from the burdens of unchanging goals and expectations. They can realize that perfect doesn’t need to be achieved for happiness. They can realize that their action, any action, matters. They can feel their purpose.
It isn’t an easy journey. And once started it cannot be turned back off completely.
Ask yourself these questions in order and write the answers down in a small notebook to keep on your office or bedside table.
- Why am I doing this with my life?
- Why is the answer for Question 1 important to me?
- Do I have the power to change the answer to Question 2, why does that matter?
- Where do I go from here?
These are powerful questions if answered honestly and with full intentions to understand oneself. One should also remember to revisit these questions once every few months to see if and how the answers have changed.
Now, though, the gates have been opened. The thoughts started. There is no turning back because were on a pathway…
In Search of Truth