Purpose-Filling Days; Promise-Keeping Nights; People-Changing Lives

We visited my mother, a rising 102-year old, last week.  She, never shy around issues of substance, said, "I'm still here.  But, I've thought a lot about it, and have not yet discovered the purpose of that longevity."  102 and seeking purpose in life, beyond the basics of eating, sleeping, and rising once again on the morrow!

I can relate on some levels.  Following my close encounter of the worst kind with, if not the Grim Reaper, a perfectly hideous stunt double, I knew somehow that, going forward, I had more to learn, more to teach, more to write, and more to accomplish in transformative efforts with clients of both worth and value.

Mike Regan's acceptance of the DSA at CSCMP's AGC reinfored some of my thinking, with his emphasis on faith, family, and friends - and he added an important dimension to the challenge.

As important as purpose and related outcomes are, or should be, in our personal lives, we also need to have purpose in our work lives.  It is not enough to show up, do a job, go home, and focus solely on the world beyond work.

We need to devote energy and talent to purposes that make our companies stronger, our clients and customers better competitors, and our colleagues more equipoed to take on new levels of challenge and accomplishment.  The job, in short, should be more than a paycheck.

Taking that approach can provide us with better positions, more responsibilities, greater visibility and recognition - and, therefore, position us to better provide for family, to invest more in people and causes worthy of support.

Mike's business success, which is considerable, enables him to do amazing things for others.  We have it within ourselves to follow parallel paths.  Real life?  Few of us will be the next Bill Gates or Warren Buffet.  But, none of us need to settle for being Homer Simpson.

Rich, full, value-driven activities and relationships are part and parcel of each of us as more-or-less complete humans.  Our ministrations to those in need - spiritually, financially, emotionally - are not limited to after-hours, but need to be part of what we are doing all day, every day, wherever we happen to be at any moment.

So, whether in supply chain management or sales or whatever, take a moment to focus on yourpurpose, your promises, and your capacity to influence positive change.