“Going upstairs” to achieve our purpose
Jack Hawley, in Waking Up the Mind at Work, describes our life direction as moving into the empty apartment upstairs—the inner home where our talents, values, and service to others reside. It's always there, waiting, even if we've been too busy "living downstairs" to notice.
A few years ago, I coached an executive who realized she was stuck downstairs. Bursting into my office frustrated, she declared, "Cake mixes don't make my life meaningful!" Though I laughed initially, she was dead serious. She'd loved her job in food manufacturing, but it no longer felt purposeful. Through our sessions, she explored her upstairs apartment and discovered her calling: using her innovative and conceptual gifts to enrich and nurture people's lives. Once aligned, her attitude shifted, creativity surged, and performance soared. Her life wasn't about cake mixes—it was about innovating to improve lives. This shift rippled into every aspect of her world.
Related: 4 Ways to Find Passion and Purpose in Your Life
Purpose is bigger and deeper than our goals
We've all heard about those rare individuals who seem "born to do this." But what happens when that role ends? Does their purpose vanish? No—purpose is the natural flow of our gifts serving others. It persists, adapting to circumstances. We might inhibit it temporarily, but it always seeks expression.
A client once asked, "How do I distinguish obsession from purposeful drive?" Purpose energizes and frees us; obsession drains and binds. As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi notes in his flow research:
"Flow elevates life to a different level. Alienation gives way to involvement, pleasure replaces boredom, helplessness turns to control, and psychic energy strengthens the self rather than serving external goals. Intrinsic rewards justify life in the present."
Bridging the individual and the organization
In 2014, Baxter spun off its BioScience division as Baxalta, with Ludwig Hantson (now CEO of Alexion) at the helm. Ludwig partnered with Korn Ferry and me to instill Purpose-Driven Leadership among Baxalta's top 200 leaders. He later said, "Baxalta's Purpose-Driven Performance was key to boosting market cap by $10 billion in 12 months. Enhanced self-awareness, shared purpose, and inspiration fueled our transformation."
Related: 4-Way Drive Performances
Anne-Marie Law, then CHRO of Baxalta (now Alexion), added: "Rarely have I seen so many deeply inspired to contribute to a common purpose. It multiplies cultural and financial value—one of my career highlights."
At NASA, preparing a keynote at Goddard Space Flight Center, I interviewed scientists and leaders. Each echoed the same purpose: "We explore the universe to improve life on Earth." Their alignment of skills, values, and vision was profoundly inspiring, prompting reflection: How can we best deploy our talents for greater good?
Bringing purpose to life
Standing ovations for new leaders are rare. Yet at Novartis Consumer Health, facing decline and three CEOs in three years, Brian McNamara's appointment as division CEO sparked one. Known for building relationships and inspiring excellence, Brian (now CEO of GSK Consumer) embodies purpose: breathing life into people—family, teams, customers, and himself. He says, "When I'm all-in breathing life, everything aligns and contributions peak."
Orbit around your core purpose
Discovering purpose is a lifelong journey, like orbiting a misty planet until it sharpens. Accelerate it by asking:
What fascinates me endlessly?
At my best, creating value for others, what do I bring?
Related: If You're Looking for Purpose, Ask Yourself These 5 Questions
My gravitational core: human growth—its psychology, history, and future. Serving it through creativity and inspiration connects my coaching, writing, speaking, and family life.
Gl glimpses emerge in quiet moments, walks, or unexpectedly—like a thread weaving life's experiences.
6000 Days
During a team-building at a Tibetan monastery, a monk asked me, "How many days do you have left to live?" Stunned, I answered, "6,000." He replied, "Don't waste any on frustration or without purpose." This echoes Alex Gorsky (J&J CEO): At West Point, the dean urged using "time plots" wisely.
Calculate yours now: With limited days, how will you lead and live? Purpose frames all experiences as meaningful growth.
Related: 5 Rules for Winning the Game of Life
8 Principles of Purpose Mastery
1. Connect with what matters: Your values are purpose's GPS. Notice what energizes you.
2. Act on purpose: Commit to turn intuition into reality—unleashing untapped potential.
3. Align team purpose: Link individual and collective goals to the mission for explosive energy.
4. Don't confuse path with purpose: Programs guide; your unique gifts serve.
5. Focus on service: Express gifts to uplift others.
6. Be purposeful everywhere: Integrate across life domains.
7. Learn from "failure": Every experience teaches.
8. Stay flexible: Purpose adapts like a symphony's themes.
Related: Answer 6 Questions to Reveal Your Life Purpose
Excerpt from Leadership from Within: Becoming a Leader for Life, Third Edition by Kevin Cashman. Reprinted with permission from Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
