Lessons Learned From the Navigating North Summit

Putting on a summit is a challenge. Putting on a summit that eschews trends to an audience who isn't familiar with summits is an even better challenge. But that's exactly what Kevin Monroe and his team did for the Navigating North Summit. There were bumps, bruises, and victories along the way, and today, Kevin shares them all.

• Christy and Kevin address a difficult question: Was the Summit a success? That is the wrong question, according to Kevin. Instead, he used words of inspiration from Mother Theresa: faithfulness, not success.
• Kevin talks about what a summit is and why he eschewed the typical format, promotion, and feel of a summit. There's a dirty secret, and he shares exactly what the goal of a typical summit is, and how we did it differently.
• We made one big mistake with the summit – assuming everyone knows what a summit actually is. Truth is, many don't, and Kevin shares the experience of teaching what a summit is while doing a summit. But more importantly, he hopes that others will be inspired.
• Getting conversation guests was another study of the unknown. There seemed to be some easy yes's and some longshots we never thought we'd land. It was a learning process for sure.
• If you've even thought about a summit, Kevin and Christy share what helped them succeed in putting one on. A tight deadline, not worrying about being perfect, and getting the big things right: that's what you really need.
• Kevin and Christy go heart to heart with what it really takes to put on a summit that you can be proud of, one that sees you being a faithful steward to an idea and seeing it through to a reality.

What will it take for you to live more on purpose in 2018? How can we help make it a reality? Feedback is a gift, and we would appreciate yours so we can better serve you. Take 2 minutes and complete this 3-question survey. Let's work together to live 2018 on purpose.

HPP Episode 17 - Interview with Clay Scroggins

Clay (short for Claytonious) Scroggins is the author of the best-selling book, How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority. It's a long title and a powerful message. Today, Kevin and Clay dig into what it means to lead when you aren't seen as the leader.Listen to the full episode now:

• Clay is driven by purpose; he might be a pastor, but he considers himself regular. He explains what he has learned by not being a head pastor but still being in a position of leadership. It's not as simple as being in charge of something. Authority isn't what makes you a leader.
• Have you heard the concept, 'the gun of authority?' Clay explains what it is. It took him hearing a governor yelling at people to listen to him. You shouldn't have to tell a person you're in charge, and Clay talks about what makes a real leader.
• His book started with a 30-minute talk before Clay did the research and really dug into the topic. He talks about the fascinating interviews, including one with the former CEO of Home Depot, and how he found his first executive memo in the trash.
• It's not positional authority, it's not power, that makes leadership. What is the real currency? Clay likens it to a cream-filled donut. Really – you'll get it when you hear his explanation. It's the secret to cultivating a life of influence.
• There is a point of leadership – a moment in time where you can make a difference no matter whether you're in a position of authority or not. Want to know what it is? Is the moment when you have the opportunity to sway a room.
• Are you interested in receiving feedback to grow? Most people are, but they are missing one huge thing in getting it. Clay reveals what you can do to be better and grow every day, every project, every conversation.

If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5-day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday.

HPP Episode 16 - Interview with Zach Mercurio

Zach Mercurio has had four other 'major careers' before he landed where he is. Zach sees his overarching experience as the best teacher of how we all have a purpose, no matter what we do. It can be a zigzag between careers to figure it out, and Zach talks to those who aspire to leadership, and who The Invisible Leader truly is.Listen to the full episode now:

• Zach talks about the book he wrote, The Invisible Leader, and the common misunderstanding that title causes. What kind of invisible leader are you? Chances are, you'd be wrong, but not for the reason you'd think.
• You've heard of authentic purpose. Do you know what default purpose is? Plastic purpose? It's hard to stand against the constant pressure of embracing someone else's purpose, especially with the emergence of purpose at work.
• 'Why-washing' is a dangerous thing. Kevin and Zach talk about what it is, and why it's the opposite of what we need, whether we're leaders or not. Pride and enthusiasm in your work will never be achieved if you're being why-washed.
• We will all hopefully have an awakening of purpose, and Zach shares his unique experience. He credits it to ordinary people with extraordinary vision. His awakener was a cab driver who had a very specific idea of what his job actually was.
• Next, Zach talks about Mary. She was a janitor for college dorms who worked her way up to a management position then retired. Believe it or not, she came out of retirement to work at the bottom again, and her reason will touch your heart.
• Imagine the impact. When you go about your day, do this exercise, and it will change your day every single time. What impact will you have on the people you come across today? How can you make it purposeful? And do you believe in the butterfly effect? You should.
• Many purpose-driven people are accused of being 'fluffy.' Zach has been, too, and he responds with a simple psychological test that proves that we are all searching for purpose. And he asks, 'tell me one time when you felt like your job really mattered.'

If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5 day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday. Go to kevindmonroe.com/workpurpose.

HPP Episode15 - Interview with Kari Enge

Kari is editor-in-chief of Rank and File magazine, a digital publication for purpose driven entrepreneurs and a value-based magazine. She loves talking to people about her mission, one to which she has devoted her life, and today, she and Kevin talk about the value of entrepreneurial leadership that serves others in all life.Listen to the episode now:

• Kari was  the founder of the digital magazine, and she shares the path that led her from being an intern to being a change maker and purpose driven person who believed in the power of purposeful leadership. She shares the two truths she discovered that revolutionized her own view of business models.
• Kari was asked to give a TED Talk-like speech, and in that process, she uncovered the deeper lessons she learned in creating Rank and File, and how she was surprised to find her values embedded in her struggles and successes in growing the publication.
• Experts have an incredible chance to elevate others with their knowledge, and Kari talks about how her publication is a platform for purpose in that way. Because of that, her perception of purpose is still changing and growing as Rank and File grows and changes.
• People might find themselves placed on a pedestal even though they never had any of intention of being there. Kari talks about how that can affect them, but also, how she seeks to use her media influence to put the right people on a pedestal.
• While Rank and File is meant to help others, Kari finds that, every day, it's challenging her as well. There's a balance Kari must strike to keep doing what she's doing, and she asserts that being able to serve other begins with self-care. She shares a profound observation: if people are worth serving in business, they are worth serving in her personal life as well.
• We need rules in our business lives, and Kari shares some of her simple, practical rules for each day, which include eating a good lunch and spending the second half of her lunch hour focusing on relationships.
• Kari shares the three symbols in her story of Rank and File: laying napkins on laps, the love letters, and the big red bus. The stories behind the symbols are powerful and fascinating.

If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5 day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday. Go to kevindmonroe.com/workpurpose.

Creating Rules for Yourself

This week on the Higher Purpose Podcast I had the opportunity to speak with Kari Enge, founder of Rank and File Magazine.When I first met Kari she told me a story that absolutely shocked me. She was once reprimanded in the workplace for using the word “Love” on a card to a colleague.I’m sure that if you’re reading this post, then you’ll probably agree that is absolutely ridiculous – and for Kari, it sparked a major change, setting her on a path that led to founding a magazine whose core belief is that people are worth serving, and business can create change.We had a wonderful discussion, and I invite you to listen to all of it either on iTunes (or your favorite podcast player) or on the site.One of the things that we talked about in some detail was how challenging it can be to not be completely overtaken by the work and stresses of running a company. (And if you’re not running a company, then in your job, managing your home, or being very involved in your community – it can ALL get overwhelming!)When you have many demands on your time, and many people needing things from you all the time – it is so easy to give too much of yourself to fulfilling those needs.It comes from the best possible place in terms if your intentions. You want to help, you want to be available and you want to be of service. As adults, there are fewer and fewer external rules imposed upon us – we’re free to make our own choices about how we use our time, for the most part, and in our culture there is a real glorification of work that can make us feel guilty for any time we’re NOT working.But you need to take time for yourself, create boundaries and give yourself the space to think, rest, reflect and just have some fun. When you don’t take that time – when there are no boundaries between what you do for yourself, and the time you spend serving others, then you’re at risk of burning out – and then you won’t be able to accomplish ANY of what you want to.Some of the ways that Kari gives herself that time is in the form of personal rules that she follows: taking 2 hours for lunch (and using that time to connect with people who might otherwise not make it onto the to-do list!), and stopping work at 7pm.The kinds of rules that you create yourself can be anything – they’ll be different depending on what it is that takes up the majority of your time – and what rest and relaxation look like to you. Some people turn off their phones in the evening. Others only book certain kinds of work on certain days. Others schedule relaxation nights into family calendars – there is no wrong way to give yourself the space and the time you need to make sure you’re taking care of your WHOLE self. This is a bit easier said than done. If you’re not in the habit of this kind of self-management, then you might want to try actually writing your rules down and keeping them where you can see them, until they become second nature.That is what I would like you to spend a few minutes thinking about this week. If you feel pulled in too many directions, and like you never have any time just for yourself – what can you change?  You may need to speak with your colleagues and family about this – and that can be a powerful and loving conversation. This doesn’t have to be only a solo activity! You can collectively make sure that everyone is supported in the ways that work best for them. It’s also important that you communicate your rules to those who are going to be impacted by them, which can be challenging. As difficult as it may be, it’s an important discussion to have – and if you don’t have it, you run the risk of seeing your boundaries pushed and stretched in ways that can lead to resentment and unhappiness.Other topics we discussed during the interview were creating symbols to represent our purpose - and the power in doing so, the fact that there is no real difference between famous people and the rest of us, and how love for business can be a powerful force for good!This week in the Higher Purpose Community on Facebook, we’re going to be discussing they symbols we have in our lives, and what they mean to us. I invite you to join us there, and add your voice to the conversation!

Navigating North

You've probably heard by now that something very exciting is happening next week.From Monday to Friday, we're hosting a Summit called Navigating North where we have an amazing lineup of experts from across industries to talk about purpose in life and leadership.So... Navigating North - what does that mean?Everyone has a North - and it's different for everyone. It's the overarching goal of our lives, the thing that we're working towards, the reason we are here.Of course working towards it isn't always easy. And knowing how to get closer to it, to move towards it is challenging. We face changes and obstacles and crisis of confidence.But you can still move towards your purpose - no matter where you are in your life, or what is going on, you can choose to orient yourself and moves towards your personal North. To what matters most to you. That's what we call Navigating North.And it's why we wanted to gather some of the world's best speakers and make their insights available to you.In preparation for the summit, I had the honor of being interviewed by Amy Robles about what it means to Navigate North, why we're running a summit about it, and how all of us are hardwired for purpose. Amy is the blogger and podcaster behind ThinkEnriched - and a personal friend. I invite you to listen to our interview, and if you're interested, claim a free ticket for Navigating North.This isn't a summit like many others. We're not using the traditional lecture or interview format, but rather having in-depth conversations with each of our guests, so that we can dig into what it means to have and follow purpose - and stay on track towards it. Also unlike most summits - attendance for Navigating North is free.To name just a few of the experts that we have had conversations with: Marshall Goldsmith - the #1 leadership coach in the USA, Mark Timm - CEO of The Ziglar Family, Katie McNerny- Founder of Leaderfit, and Thom  Winninger - author of Your True DNA. In addition to our featured conversations, we're going to be hosting panel discussion on purpose each day of the event, to bring in an even wider range of viewpoints.Our main goals for attendees (and ourselves!) are to improve and increase the three C's in our lives. Those C's are Clarity - understanding our purpose and discovering our next steps towards our own Norths, Confidence - in taking action and communicating our purpose towards others, and finally: Connection - with our sense of purpose, with others, and our communities.I can't tell you how excited I am to bring this to you - and I very much hope you'll join us.If you'd like a little taste of what is coming, watch the video below, then click on the link to claim your free ticket to Navigating North.Please join us at the Navigating North Summit, and if you know anyone who you think might enjoy it - invite them along!Putting this together has been a journey - and involved the hard work of a lot of people - but we know it's going to be worth it and we'd like you to share the experience with us.

HPP Episode 14 - Interview with Kevin Monroe and Amy Robles

Today is a special episode. The tables are turned and Kevin is the one being interviewed by the talented and lovely Amy Robles. The talk through the ins and outs of the Navigating North Summit, and what makes it so very special. The all-star lineup, the involvement of charity, and the opportunity to find your purpose.Listen to the full episode now:

• Kevin and Amy talk about the origin of the Navigating North Summit, and Kevin reveals the belief he held for a long time that he now considers a myth. He also talks about how he landed on the name.
• Have you ever heard about those people who are wired for purpose? So are you. Kevin explains why you aren't an accident, how you're designed for purpose. It's up to you to figure it out what it is.
• Kevin shares some of the common misconceptions in finding your purpose. He explains what he learned growing up that has changed over time, even after spending his formative years steeped in the purpose of living in a church community.
• Some people aren't aware of a Summit, and others aren't familiar with the type of summit Navigating North will be. Kevin explains what it is and what makes it different from other, similar events.
• The Navigating North Summit has an all-star lineup, and Kevin talks about the speakers, how he formed relationships with them, and how they stay connected.
• Kevin talks about the seven people you will likely meet along your path to purpose, and what effect they have on you, starting with the Awakener. He shares the types of people who he believes you'll find during the Summit.

Are you ready for more purpose in work and in life? What if you could learn from personal, intimate conversations with people who are living their lives passionately and purposefully, and making a massive impact? For 5 days, you can. Get more information - and your free ticket at NavigatingNorthSummit.com

Always be Acting

The other day, I was talking with a friend about something this week’s guest on the Higher Purpose Podcast said: “If you keep choosing action, you’ll keep finding clarity.”My friend nodded and said that was exactly right. She said: “when I’m stuck, even getting up and doing the dishes can be enough to get things moving forward again.”Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Goins, soon after his annual event Tribe – and we had a fascinating conversation about how to find your clarity, and your calling and your purpose by consistently taking action – even if you don’t YET know where you’re going to end up.You can listen to the full episode here – and I invite you to do so – but right now, I’d like to dig into that idea a little bit more.One of the ways Jeff recommended USING this principle of consistently taking action was at conferences.So often you go to a conference and get overwhelmed by information – hearing and seeing and learning so much that it’s hard to actually DO anything with it.And that’s such a shame because the real value of learning at an event like a conference, or reading a book, or even listening to a podcast comes from the action that you take because of it – the application of the new knowledge or idea that is going to bring a change to your business or your life.It’s better to take action on one single thing than to have 25 new things rattling around in your head going nowhere. I think this is a fantastic idea – especially as we’re preparing for the Navigating North Summit – to commit BEFORE you enter a “learning phase” to finding one thing you are going to take immediate, concrete action on.That’s my challenge for you today – when you are next planning to attend a conference, or read a book, or listen to an episode of a podcast, commit to finding one single thing in that pile of new information, and taking action on it immediately.You see, and Jeff talks about this in more detail in our interview, you can just BE the thing that you want to be and DO the things that you want to do – often what holds us back from that is fear of not knowing enough or being ready enough – but that’s a myth. As you act, you start to believe, and the more you believe the more true it becomes. This is a pattern that repeats itself in so many areas of our lives – and there is ALWAYS something that you can do next.There’s one more point to this that I think it’s important for you to take away and start acting on. It’s a point we’ve touched on before – that we don’t always have an awareness of how much we are affecting the people in our lives.  The people who create content and events and information, who give of their time and knowledge in dozens of ways often don’t get to see the results of their work – and there’s nothing that is more satisfying than hearing from a customer, or listener, or reader or friend that something you said made a measurable, noticeable difference for someone.So when you take action based on what you have learned from someone tell them!Some of the other topics that we talked about during our call were the three ingredients that make up a calling, the steps you need to take to get the most out of a mentorship relationship, and how having trust is more important than having clarity.This week in the Higher Purpose Facebook Community, we’re going to be discussing how clarity comes froma ctions not words, and the times in our life this has been true... or not.  I would love for you to join us there and share your thoughts.Until then, if you have done something lately, based on a new piece of information or advice you received – send a note to the person who shared it with you- I guarantee you that you’ll make their day.And if you’re looking for your next source of information, I invite you to register for a free ticket to the Navigating North Summit, where we have inspirational and revolutionary interviews scheduled with 15 guests to help you find and live the purpose you were wired for.

HPP Episode 13 - Interview with Jeff Goins

Jeff Goins is the best-selling author of five books including The Art of Work and Real Artists Don't Starve. Jeff believes we all have a creative gift to share with the world – our art. Today, Jeff and Kevin take a behind-the-scenes look at tribe as it relates to purpose and passion.Listen to the full episode now:

• Every story of success is a story of community, as Jeff likes to say, and Tribe is a conference about creatives, communities, and connecting people. Learn what Jeff's idea of a perfect community is – and you might be surprised that he calls it an 'excuse.'
• Jeff distrusts when someone says they found their calling. Find out why he believes finding your calling is a lot like finding your path, and you will spend your life walking it. You might not know where it ends, but you know it will take you somewhere good. Jeff also explains the three things you must consider before you begin walking a path: demand, skill, and passion.
• Jeff shares an amazing story about why he will never deliver one of the greatest demands people make: clarity. He talks about one of the things Mother Theresa believed about clarity, and takes it a step further to explain where clarity comes from. More importantly, he explains why it's not something another person can give you.
• Are you a 'conference consumer?' Do you know someone who attends conferences regularly, leaves with a notebook full of action steps and ideas, and then never applies them? Jeff talks about how to get the most out of conferences, and you might be surprised to know that you shouldn't be applying everything you learn. Find the One Thing and do it.
• You know when you talk to someone amazing, you need to take away from it as much as you can. Jeff talks about the interesting experience he had with a mentor who taught him how to take the most away from his coaching session. It's simple and common sense, but most people don't take the final step.
• Jeff talks about his zigzagging path that led him from touring with his band in Taiwan all the way to where he is now. He talks about how myths can be true. Remember this: Believe, Behave, Become.
• Jeff closes with something you really can't miss if you're a closet creative, if you've got an idea burning in you, a desire to do something. When will you actually do it? What will be the thing that pushes you from stagnating to creating? It's something that people tell you not to have: fear.

Are you ready for more purpose in work and in life? What if you could learn from personal, intimate conversations with people who are living their lives passionately and purposefully, and making a massive impact? For 5 days, you can. Get more information - and your free ticket at NavigatingNorthSummit.com

HPP Episode 12 Interview with Thom Winninger

Thom is an author and a brilliant mind when it comes to purpose, meaning, gifting, and opportunity. He and Kevin talk about some topics on how to use your gifts, and more importantly, how to FIND your gifts. They also discuss what happens to you and your life when you do.Listen to the full episode:

• Thom talks about liminal space, that painful place between two points. Do you try to avoid your liminal space? Do you run from it and what the wisdom of recognizing it could bring you?
• There was a time when Thom came up against a big patch of liminal space. It came right in the middle of a very successful career. He found himself on stage, in front of an audience who thought he had everything, but he had nothing. He was empty. Learn how it changed him.
• If you listen to your true self, if you are intentional in your thoughts, you can discover your gift. From your gift is what points to your purpose, and your purpose is what directs your life. Want to know what simple exercise you can do daily to find your gift? Thom shares what he does every day.
• Everyone has a gift. It's the thing you can do that you can't explain, something that comes to you without effort. Thom explains how you know your gift when you apply it, and the reason why some people seem to have limitless energy when applying their gift.
• Do you know the difference between possibility and opportunity? Thom explains how you have probably been wearing yourself down to nothing chasing one of these, and not opening yourself to the other.
• Do you understand what divine intent is? And do you realize that divine intent wants more of you than you ever thought possible? Kevin and Thom discuss those 'inklings' that influence your life.

Get Thom's book at YourTrueDNA.com- for free! Pay only shipping before October 24th.There's also something exciting coming up at the end of this month - the very first Navigating North Summit - and Thom is one of the featured conversations that we're including! You can get a free ticket, and listen to Thom, and 14 other experts on living a life of purpose.

Finding Gifts in the Space Between

This week on the Higher Purpose Podcast I had the pleasure of being joined by Thomas Winninger, who is currently promoting his new book Your True DNA which is going to be released on October 24^th of this year.Thom is a modern-day philosopher whose work is deeply informed by his faith, and we had an absolutely eye-opening conversation about what it means to understand your divinely provided gift and have it be a powerful force in your life.I invite you to listen to the full interview, but first I want to explore one idea Thom mentioned that really caught my imagination.That idea is liminal space.Liminal means relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process; the space in between one thing and another.In our lives, this can be the times in between events or jobs or relationships – that unsettled time in between the end of one thing and the beginning of something else. Often these are times filled with fear or regret, and we get tempted to try and minimize or avoid them all together.We avoid them by hanging on to things after they stop serving us, or racing from one relationship to the next, or having so many different things to occupy us that there’s no time to reflect on what has happened or what might happen next.That’s a feeling you can recognize, isn’t it? The discomfort that comes from a shift from one thing to another, and uncertainty about whether we made the right decisions to get to this place, or will be able to make the right choices moving forward.Sitting with discomfort is never easy.Thom however, posits that these liminal spaces are valuable - even critical - to our growth and development as people. Without taking the time provided by liminal space to really consider what is happening and why, and what we want to happen next we never have the time to really identify what our true gift is and how we can be using it in our lives. Even if it’s hard, or hurts or is frightening. Tragedy can wake us up to reality in a way that comfort can’t.This idea is expressed by people from all industries and walks of life; Dan Miller, who we had on the podcast earlier this year makes room for new growth and ideas by eliminating (do you see the root word there?) 15% of his business activities each year to conscientiously create the space for change. Nature works the same way, when lightning strikes cause the fires that remove old growth and make a place for new saplings.Liminal space is so fundamental to finding happiness, joy and fulfilment that it’s a natural part of the world, and we are mistaken to try and remove it from our lives, or avoid it all together.That’s something I would like to invite you to reflect on this week – when is the last time you experienced liminal space, and what did you find out about your life or your gift?This was just one of the many topics we touched on in interview – some of the others were:

• How your gift gives you energy, and when you stray from it is when you get bogged down or lose motivation.
• How to identify your gift if you aren’t sure what it is, or what it could be.
• The difference between possibilities and opportunities.

And of course – you should absolutely get yourself a copy of Thom’s Book – Your True DNA – before October 24th it’s available for free (pay only shipping fees) as a pre-order. I can say honestly that this is an important and powerful book, so if any of this has interested you at all, go to YourTrueDNA.com and get a copy.Over on the Facebook Group this week, we're going to be talking about how it's neither Success nor Failure that defines us. It’s not the road to meaning, or to purpose. Purpose is found in the discovery of your gift. What is your gift, and how does it define you? I invite you to come and join the conversation.

HPP Episode 11 Interview with Joe Pine

Joe Pine is the author of The Experience Economy and several other books. He and his partner Jim head up an organization that teaches businesses not just to sell, but to be the authentic, experience-based organizations that speak to customers' wants and needs.  How does purpose play into this? In every single way.Listen to the full episode now:

• Joe explains what his purpose is in business. Some refer to him as a futurist, but that's not exactly correct. Joe sees things as they are, but that things business owners and managers do see yet.
• Joe's book, The Experience Economy, is a staple of the business world. He shares why business has shifted to the experience customers have. Why is it that way? Why is Starbucks so successful? He explains.
• Stores like Target, Sears, and even Macy's are struggling to survive. Discover why they are floundering in a time when customers embrace brands. They are making one excruciating error in thought. They merchandise.
• Do you want to know why consumers care what businesses believe? Joe reveals the thought process that goes into what people care about – transformation and world view.
• Do you know what 'authenticity' means? You probably know what it doesn't mean. Joe explains the three things that affect authenticity, and the strange contradiction that exists with today's business. The whole idea of authenticity is an experience, not the reality.
• People want to distinguish the fake from the authentic. They want to connect. Joe discusses how this desire drives them to search for real offerings from genuine companies. Most importantly, if you aren't purpose driven as a company, they will know.
• Joe shares one of his own mentors who really inspired him in terms of thriving and flourishing. Joe explains how he took this from a personal level to a business level.

If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5-day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday. Go to kevindmonroe.com/workpurpose.

Purpose and Authenticity in Companies

We all interact with big companies in many ways, every day, and more and more what we expect from them is changing.That’s what I spoke about with Joe Pine of Strategic Horizons this week on the Higher Purpose Podcast: what purpose and authenticity mean for companies. Listen to the full episode here, and if you haven’t already, don’t forget to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes!What I’d like to discuss today is what that means for those of us who engage with them!Joe brings up the idea that as our society as developed, we have moved from one kind of business to another – from agrarian communities, to commodity-based industry, to a service economy and now, to an EXPERIENTIAL economy, where in order to compete and succeed, companies need to help their customers have an experience that resonates with them, and possible, helps them transform from one way of being into another.This is a fascinating idea because it turns a company from a provider of a product or service to something that plays a significant role in our lives.The danger inherent here is that we don’t necessarily know what the purpose of a company is, or if they are fulfilling on it in a way that we agree is authentic.I think most of us have had the experience of learning that a company we knew and trusted was engaged in abusive or exploitative practices, and because we’re in the age of experiential business – that can feel like a real betrayal of trust as well as something that is independently wrong or illegal.Because we have these emotional ties to the companies we work with, it becomes more and more important for us to choose to align ourselves with organizations whose values are in line with our own. Similarly, companies are making more and more effort to find the people whose views align with THEIRS.“Worldview Segmentation” is something that didn’t exist 10 years ago, but now it plays a huge part in how companies approach and consider us for engagement and advertising. Companies consider how we vote, worship, relax, travel, browse the internet, work and spend time with our families – they know a lot about us from our behavior, and it’s often much more difficult to learn about the real values and practices of companies that we interact with.This is a pretty theoretical topic for the week – so in the Higher Purpose Facebook group, we're going to be very practical ;-) and talk about how keeping a focus on your PURPOSE even through changes (either personal or professional) will mean that you always have clarity.I’d also recommend you listen to the whole interview to get more information about how companies are thinking about purpose and authenticity, and what it means to you.Other things that we talked about during the interview were:

• How people want to buy things that are real from people who are genuine.
• How Joe developed the philosophies behind his several books.
• What it means to have almost everything we buy be customizable.
• How mindset affects how well businesses perform.

What do you think about this? Do you try to engage with companies who have similar values to you?Do you think the workplace is becoming more human? Do you see this in your own work? If you are feeling less than fulfilled in your work, I invite you to join the 5-day Purpose at Work email challenge! Every day for 5 days, I’ll send you a challenge to help you find more purpose in your work.

HPP Episode 10 - Interview with Garry Ridge

Gary Ridge is the CEO of the WD40 company and author of Helping People Win at Work, a Business Philosophy Called Don't Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A. Gary tends to take a contrarian position on business and purpose at work, but he's also very practical.Listen to the full interview!

• Kevin and Gary talk about how a need for purpose doesn't always happen in our youth. It's something that we develop over time, and Gary shares his own experiences from a radio DJ to the CEO of WD40. But his real purpose is helping people create positive, lasting memories.
• Learn how Gary's purpose came from something the Dali Lama said, and how it includes Billy Joel and Elton John. This is something that enriched Gary's life and shaped how he discovered what his purpose is now, and how it relates to the WD40 company.
• Gary talks about tribe, but he addresses it much more deeply than the general use you hear in audience building and purpose. He also has an interesting saying: "Profit is the applause." Find out what that means.
• Gary's company has been tracking employee engagement for nearly 20 years. They started where everyone else is, around 40%. But now they've been at 90% plus for several years. Kevin shares one story he heard about employees who refused to leave work for lunch because they wore uniforms.
• There were many people who have shaped the way Gary thinks. He and Kevin talk about the way Gary 'cherry-picked' ideas, messages, and strategies from all the different people to create the amazing culture of WD40, and more importantly, his own life.
• Gary talks about what helps him continue to navigate his true path amidst all the facts of his busy life. What can you cherry-pick from this to apply to your own life?

If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5-day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday. Go to kevindmonroe.com/workpurpose.

Creating a Tribe Out of a Company

This week on the Higher Purpose Podcast, I had the chance to speak with author, Garry Ridge the CEO of the WD40 company (who used to be a radio disc jockey!)Garry has had some amazing successes with his business, and is responsible for employee engagement is responsible for a pretty incredible statistic.98% of the employees of the WD40 Company say that they LOVE telling people they work for the WD40 company.Think about that for a moment. How many people do you know who can say they LOVE working for the company they work for? I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that it isn’t 98% of the employed people that you know.Now, you can hear all of the details, and some of the strategies about how Garry achieved this by listening to this week’s episode of the Higher Purpose Podcast, but right now, I want to think a little bit more about one of the ideas we touched on during our conversation.The teams at the WD40 company aren’t called ‘Teams’ – they are called Tribes.This isn’t very common in the working world, and Garry said that it came down to the values he, as CEO, and the rest of the workforce collectively decided were important to them as an organization.Those values are all about belonging, taking care of each other and supporting each other to achieve their own and the company objectives.You see the WD40 company isn’t just a lubricant vendor. Their goal is to create positive, lasting memories by solving problems, making things work smoothly and creating opportunities.This purpose is very closely aligned with Garry’s PERSONAL purpose – and the effects on the company have been profound. While the product hasn’t changed much in 20 years – they’ve grown by 13%.Prioritizing learning, growth, community and support makes the WD40 company a wonderful place to work – and as Garry says – profits are the applause! If you are creating a strong company culture then profits are going to be a natural side effect.Now this is all well and good if you’re the CEO and have the POWER to institute a nurturing and caring company culture, and prioritize the human element of your work, but what do you do if you’re a rank and file employee who has a supervisor and another supervisor and a boss and a corporate hierarchy that isn’t exactly accessible?Other than sending your boss Garry’s interview  – there are ways you can align your own individual purpose with the work that you do, which I have laid out into a 5 Day Challenge that you can sign up for by clicking right here.Some of the other ideas we discussed were:

• Identifying the what, why and how of your business – a way of thinking about your company (or personal!) values that is more natural and intuitive than mission or values statements.
• The attributes that keep people together, whether they are team (or tribe!) members or friends, family or colleagues.
• The practical changes and results that happened when Garry was able to align his individual purpose, with the purpose of his organization.

This week in the Higher Purpose Facebook Community we're talking about our favourite memories at work, and how we can make more of them.If you’re enjoying these discussions and interviews, you can help support the Higher Purpose Podcast by giving us a rating and a review on Itunes!

HPP Episode 9 - Interview with Julie Bauke

Julie Bauke doesn't mince words when it comes to having purpose at work. Her book is Stop Peeing on Your Shoes, and in it she talks about the seven mistakes that will screw up your job search. The title sounds like just another career advice book, but as it turns out, Julie communicates so much more than just how to land a job. She and Kevin discuss how your purpose should drive your work, and how to find purpose IN your work.

• Julie is the Chief Career Happiness Officer… not just of her own job, but of the universe. She believes it's possible for anyone. She talks about how many people have high degrees of career happiness, a shocking number, and she talks about what career happiness is. The simplicity of it might shock you.
• Julie digs into each of the four criteria in the Career Happiness Formula that lead to career happiness. She also talks about the correlation between purpose and happiness, and what happens when people's focus isn't on the actuality of purpose, the metrics, the meaning.
• Leadership is essential – you don't leave a job; you leave a boss. Julie and Kevin discuss some of the other reasons your job might not be right for you, and how your sense of purpose might be withering where you are. Have you ever said something like 'I don't know what I want to do, but I know I don't want to do this'?
• You can't always jump from where you are to where you want to be. Often it happens in a series of steps toward that goal. When you're looking for purpose at work, one of the best things you can do is look for that next step when the big leap isn't available yet.
• Every 'yes' you've committed yourself to is also saying 'no' to something else. You must cultivate the ability to say no to things that aren't in line with your purpose and goals, so that when the opportunity you want comes along, you have enough room for a big yes.
• Career success and career happiness don't always correlate. Julie goes into insightful detail on the trappings of money and titles, lifestyles, and how difficult it can be to walk away from it. You have to ask yourself: is appearing happy more important than being happy?
• Purpose at work isn't always exactly what you think. Perhaps your work is a means to an end: it gives you the paycheck you need to pursue your purpose in your free time. That's not something to discount; it's just as valid as intertwining your purpose with your work.
• Julie lost her husband 9 months ago. She talks about the way she dealt with the loss. Like everyone else, she grieved. It was hard to move on. Learn how Julie did it, and what motivated her to do it.

If you're interested in learning more about the career happiness formula - you can read our full blog post here!If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5-day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday. Go to kevindmonroe.com/workpurpose, and start today!

The Career Happiness Formula

This week on the Higher Purpose Podcast, I had the opportunity to speak with Chief Career Happiness Officer Julie Bauke.Julie is the author of Stop Peeing On Your Shoes: Avoiding the 7 Mistakes that Screw Up Your Job Search, and the owner of The Bauke Group, where she offers career and transitional coaching.You can listen to the full interview here, but I want to explore one of the ideas we talked about in a little more detail today.In the interview, Julie said something that kind of stopped me in my tracks.“You’re a grown-up now, the career fairy isn’t coming.”The context for this rather fabulous statement is a common refrain heard from her many clients “I don’t know what I want to BE when I grow up. It should be pointed out that Julie’s clients tend to be senior level executives, and her response, that the career fairy isn’t coming, speaks to something very, very important.We have to be the driving force of action in our own lives. If we’re unhappy, it is our responsibility to DO something about that.It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that happiness, fulfillment, purpose or success are just around the corner, if we work a little harder or achieve a little more we’ll suddenly get there, and things will become clear.That isn’t the case. We need to decide what we want in our lives and go after it. That isn’t the same thing as knowing what you want the next ten, fifteen or twenty years are going to look like – none of us can tell the future, but it does mean understanding what it is that you want in your life, and making changes that bring you closer and closer towards more and more of it.Like most truisms, that is much easier said than done, but Julie has a few questions that can guide that decision-making process, and help you get over the paralysis of not really knowing what you want.Here are those three questions:

• What do I want more of in my life?
• What do I want less of in my life?
• What do I never want in my life again?

How might that look? If you are unhappy in your job, or with the work that occupies most of your time right now and knowing that you want to make a change, you could ask yourself these questions and find out:I want more time to spend with my friends and family.I want less of a commute – just driving back and forth every day.I never want to work in an environment where I’m going to be belittled for my suggestions again.This gives you some important information. You’re coming to a point in your life where you are prioritizing personal time, and a long commute gets in the way of that. It might mean that you’re ready to move jobs to something closer to home or cut back the amount you’re working. Knowing that you’re unwilling to ever have that kind of toxic environment again means that you’re also prioritizing your own self-esteem and insisting that you be valued for what you contribute.This means that you have the information about the overall direction you want your life to take that you can make a smart, informed decision about what to do next. A far cry from feeling lost and paralyzed, isn’t it?Now, our conversation focused mainly on happiness and purpose at work – but those questions are transferable to any major decision you need to make in your life – especially those around making changes or going in new directions.In the interview we also talked about:

• The formula for Career Happiness – and how to look through the lens of the 4 variables to help identify what you need to change if you aren’t happy.
• The correlation between happiness and purpose – and how that can and should be different for every person.
• How saying no to projects, jobs or opportunities that don’t serve us, or that we can’t serve to our highest ability is a mark of career maturity.

I hope you listen to the full interview, and I hope you join us in the Higher Purpose Community this Thursday, where we’re going to be talking about these three questions, and how we can apply them to the decisions we make about work and the direction we want to go in.I'd like to hear from you! Are you happy in your work?Do you have all of the necessary elements as Julie describes them? Is there one you need to work on or change? If you want to explore these ideas an more - you can take the Purpose at Work 5-Day email challenge to help find more fulfillment and happiness in what you do every day!

HPP Episode 8 - Purpose at Work

You spend a third of your life working. Have you thought about that? What about when you add commute time? How about those times you sit there when you aren’t working, but you’re thinking about it? Are your thoughts darkened on the weekend by the knowledge that Monday is coming? It shouldn’t be, and today Kevin talks about how to find purpose in your work.Listen to the full episode now:

• Do your mind scream that you aren’t fulfilling your purpose in your life? If you’re on a hamster wheel in your professional life, then you MUST listen to this episode. Kevin starts with a very personal story about his father, a member of the Greatest Generation. He told Kevin: find work you love doing. And he lived that example.
• The very first man, Adam, was given work to do, even before the Fall. Kevin discusses how work changed before and after, from a delight to thorns, thistles, and sweat. He talks about a misunderstanding he’s had about a popular saying, ‘find work that you love and you will never work a day in your life.’ It’s not true, at least, not the slothfulness of it. What SHOULD it mean? Find out.
• Kevin talks about his six keys to finding purpose at work, starting with WHY you work. Whether you’re a cashier or brain surgeon, there can be purpose in what you do. Kevin’s father wasn’t a bus driver; he was an entertainer. You can do the same work as someone else, but why you do it can change everything.
• Your job can be drudgery if you forget one important thing: what is your work making possible? It’s not just what the work achieves, but also, what a job allows you to do when you aren’t working. Similarly, who benefits from your work, directly or indirectly?
• Did you know that having a best friend at work is critical for happiness there? It’s just as important as those who benefit from your work. There are times when you find purpose and meaning at work, or when purpose or meaning at work find YOU.

If you feel like you don't have purpose at work, or you want to clarify your purpose at work, we have a free 5 day email course you can take with daily challenges and action steps to help bring the meaning you are meant to have into your everyday. Go to kevindmonroe.com/workpurpose.

Sometimes It Takes a Neighbor

This week on the Higher Purpose Podcast, I spoke with Danielle Strickland about what it means to flourish and to live a life truly free of oppression. We discussed some inspiring and often misunderstood stories from Exodus, and you can listen to the whole episode here, but what I want to explore in this post today is a story that Danielle Shared during the interview. Actually, it’s the story that led to our having the interview.I won’t share too much of the story here – you’ll have to listen to the podcast for that! – but Danielle had an experience where, in order to gain access to a brothel in order to start making connections with sex workers who may have been trafficked – it took a neighbor of the establishment bearing a basket of cupcakes rather the Salvation Army professional whose mandate it was.This is a tremendously important idea – that sometimes the human connection of a friend, neighbor, or family member can vastly outperform the presence or, I might even say ‘meddling’ of a professional.At the end of the day, people are people, and we relate to each other at the emotional and spiritual level in a way that we don’t or can’t always connect with professionals entering a situation with all of the gravity of authority.Now, this is a fairly intuitive concept – of course, people connect on the PERSONAL level more easily than the professional one – but its impacts are profound.  It means that whether or not you have credentials, or authority, or some kind of institutional backing, you still have, at this very moment, in your hands, the power to create change and make a difference in the world.To illustrate this point, consider Moses, and the task he was given by God to set the Israelites free. God commanded Moses to use what he had – and what he had was a staff. And so when he needed to, he was able to use that simple tool to perform miracles.What you have available to you now: your skills, your abilities, and your connections in your community are all tools that can be used effectively to make changes in your life and the lives of others. All too often, we hesitate to put ourselves forward, to speak out or challenge the status quo, because we feel that we aren’t strong enough, or powerful enough, or that people won’t take us seriously.But that is a myth – you have everything you need to follow your calling, and serve the Lord as you are meant to. When you are aligned with your purpose, and know what it is you need to accomplish – you will arrive at the question of how.God has answered and continues to answer this for us every day.He says to use what you have – and everyone has something.That is what I invite you to reflect on this week, and what we’re going to be discussing in the Higher Purpose Facebook Community on Thursday this week – what you have available to you NOW to follow God’s plan for you, and do you hold back out of the fear that it isn’t enough?You ARE enough, God made you that way, and just like there are times when a neighbor with cupcakes can be more successful than a professional with a uniform and title, sometimes there is a job that only you can accomplish.I encourage you to listen to the full interview with Danielle, and if you like what you hear (which I am confident you will!) please subscribe to the podcast, and leave us a review to help more people connect with our community.Next week I have a special solo episode ready for you – I am going to be talking about something many people have brought to my attention as difficult or challenging for them is finding purpose at work. So in the coming weeks I have interviews with a series of professionals who all have different and valuable answers to that question.

HPP Episode 7 - Interview With Danielle Strickland

Danielle Strickland is an officer in the Salvation Army, an ambassador for Stop the Traffick and Compassion International, and the author of five books. She’s a wonderful speaker, and her depth of faith in insight in the Bible will delight you.Listen to the full interview now:

• Danielle talks about the simple practice that she has with her son about how he is made. She asks him, ‘Who made you, and how did He make you?’ The simple answer her child gives is the same answer that can liberate you from so much pain, shame, doubt, guilt, and more. If you hear nothing else, listen to this.
• Danielle named her son Moses. Find out how her understanding of the journey, trials, and growth of Moses in the Bible has shaped her own life, and why it made a big enough difference for her that she decided to name her son after the leader of the Israelites.
• Hear the interesting story of the parallels Danielle sees between her good friend and Moses. It begins with her phone number being two digits different from a local legal brothel, moves on to cupcakes, and ends with visiting 68 brothels week, as a neighbor.
• Danielle wasn’t always on the solid, purpose filled path she’s on now. She suffered from addiction. She was in a jail cell, and one visit from someone special began the radical change that took her from rock bottom to where she is now.
• Danielle talks about her own daily ritual that keeps her honest, in tune with who she is and how God made her, and what her own support group looks like. She also talks about how she does her part in doing this for others.

Please visit Danielle and be inspired by her work. Also, help out the Higher Purpose Podcast by subscribing and leaving a review. Help us grow so we can help others find their purpose in life and fulfill it.Want to read more? Check out our blog post about how sometimes, what you really need is a neighbor.