Whilst our Core Values provide the compass that helps guide our feelings about and behaviour towards everything we encounter in our lives, our Core Purpose is the map that helps us choose the path on which we wish to navigate. As we saw with the compass, without a map we are aimless and meander to wherever the winds, seas and any other external forces take us. We have no direction, no rudder, and those external forces are often none-too-kind to us, creating negative experiences and emotions and causing us to lose hope for any happiness we once may have dreamed of.
Fortunately, also like our compass, we have the ability to find our map at any time during our journey, and along with it the direction and rudder we may have so needed.
Like your Core Values, your Core Purpose is very personal, although both need to be aligned and then both will guide you to make your Personal Plan as meaningful as it can possibly be – thereby giving you the greatest reason to create it and to stick to it!
“Without a map we are aimless and meander to wherever the winds, seas and any other external forces take us”
"...the deeper you go, the stronger your reaction may be – and that’s ok..."
Spend some time thinking of your Core Purpose. It may be to be the best role-model for your children, or to make a meaningful difference to the lives of others, or to change the world for the better. Whatever it may be, write it down in the space below and then answer the questions that follow. This is like peeling back the layers of an onion to get to the core - the deeper you go, the stronger your reaction may be – and that’s ok, it just means it’s important to you. If you can’t truthfully answer all of the questions, your onion may not be fully developed and you may need to step back and think again. Take your time and enjoy it – you may even surprise yourself!