Launching a brand and running a company can be exhilarating – and exhausting. What should you do if your purpose feels far away and your work life is starting to feel a little less than lackluster?
Try an internal check-in.
An internal check-in, or asking yourself a few key, pointed questions, could be just what you need to clarify your purpose and renew your passion, energy, and drive for work. At the 2017 Propelify Innovation Festival, Claude Silver, the Chief Heart Officer of VaynerMedia (aka, she’s in touch with the heartbeat of every person at the company) shared several heart-based strategies she’s used over the course of her career to steer towards success and happiness.
Next time you’re feeling lost, try asking yourself these three questions to help distill your purpose, reignite your spark, and decide on next steps.
What’s your heart telling you to do next?
Before becoming Chief Heart Officer, Claude worked at VaynerMedia, in a position where she was in charge of big global accounts and strategies. The work, although exciting, left her feeling out of touch with what she really loved to do – work with and build teams. After much soul-searching and deep questioning, she decided to leave VaynerMedia. How did she make such a big decision?
“I had to keep checking in and keep being honest. I had to listen to my heart and keep asking myself, what is your truth? And why mess around with anything that’s not your truth? Life moves too fast,” Claude said.
In a similar position of not-quite-rightness at work? Think about what brings you joy, and focus on how you can do more of that in the future.
What’s your gut saying?
Are you feeling unsure about where to turn next in your career? Or are you obsessing about the odds of “making it?” Next time you want to spin out, instead, get quiet, listen to your gut, and trust yourself to make the next right move.
As an entrepreneur you’ve already acquired invaluable skills, experiences, and connections that helped you get to where you are today. Moving forward, continue to trust that your experiences, skills, and continued hard work will get you where you want to go, even if the destination seems far away or hazy.
“I like to say, fake it until you become it,” Claude said. “If I could go back and tell my 32-year-old self or 28-year-old self something, I would say, be confident. Get in the fucking driver’s seat. Show up for it.”
Trust yourself, harness your internal confidence, and then propel forward – even if you’re scared.
What’s your mission statement?
If you’re feeling a lack of drive or passion in your work life, try crafting a personal mission statement. A mission statement is a short description of your purpose. Some good questions to ask yourself when crafting your mission statement:
- What are the values you hold most important?
- What worth do you currently bring to work? Brag a little!
- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- What is your purpose?
- What do you love to do? What makes you light up at work?
Once you have you have your mission statement, use the statement as a compass to point yourself in the next right direction.
Watch highlights from Claude’s talk at the 2017 Propelify Innovation Festival:
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