PURPOSE AND BRAVERY
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus is condemned by the gods to an eternity of pushing a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down as soon as he reaches the top.
This unending punishment goes so much deeper than the physical toil and exertion that must be endured. The true suffering of Sisyphus is that he must live for eternity without purpose.
We are taught that having the fortitude to keep on going, no matter what, is a sign of strength. The words “Never Give Up!” are stamped across a hundred thousand motivational posters – you can even find ones with an image of a man pushing a boulder up a hill.
But there is a failure here to recognise a fundamental truth, which is this: there are times when pushing on is giving up.
When you know that something isn’t working, professionally or personally, but you still don’t let go, then you are admitting defeat. And at the core of this lies fear.
Understanding your purpose doesn’t mean that you no longer feel afraid – of course you do! However, understanding your purpose enables you to be brave.
You still have to make tough calls, but the difference is that rather than just knowing that something is wrong, you can take action to change it. You learn to let go.
The bravery begins with making a conscious decision to uncover your purpose. Your behaviour can push you into places where you are subconsciously trying to force that decision, but you have to make it consciously.
You can keep going round the same loop, ignoring the signs and the message, or you can make a decision to create change in your life. Once you have made the decision, the change may not come quickly – but it will come.
For me, the shift from subconscious, selfish, destructive behaviour to living my purpose took a long time. Uncovering my purpose was the planting of a seed. I had to nurture it in order for it to grow and blossom.
When I read out my purpose statement to people, they often respond by telling me that it’s not really unique or genius. It doesn’t matter. Your purpose doesn’t have to be big and clever. It just has to be true to you.
My purpose is to change the world one person at a time, starting with myself. And those last three words are the key. It must start with me. Anyone can aspire to change the world, but aspiration isn’t purpose.
I wake up every day, and I know what my purpose is. This means that in every area of my life I can work out the steps I need to take to fulfil this purpose. This matters because until I am convinced about what I have to do and how I have to do it. If I’m not living my purpose, even if I achieve a lot, I can never create meaningful change.
Understanding your purpose allows you to recognise when leadership has to be from the front, and when it has to be from the trenches. You have to be prepared to sacrifice – you have to know when to push and when to let go. Sacrifice requires bravery, and purpose is what underpins that bravery.
I am often asked how I found my purpose. My response is that you can uncover your purpose when you start asking the right questions. And if you find yourself wondering what those questions are, then you have begun the journey that will provide the answers you need.
Kristian Livolsi
