Complacency, arrogance and greed crowd out resilience. Humility and a noble purpose fuel it. - Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Most of us think of resilience as our ability to recover from failure, deal with change or manage through uncertainty.
Some aspects of resilience are essentially part of our DNA (“raw resilience”). Others are within our control including attitude – which we referred to last week – and purpose.
Think of purpose as a reflection of your values and what you think is right.
When we act in ways that conflict with our purpose, we experience stress. Work feels harder. We enjoy it less. We put things off.
But when we align our actions with our purpose, we become more resilient. We work with ease. Love what we do. And, tackle the tough stuff first.
According to ECC Global Affiliate and author Karsten Drath, purpose is one of the 7 Spheres of Resilience. When a leader regularly balances what they do with their purpose, they’re more likely to come out stronger when faced with adversity.
To clarify your purpose and align your actions, ask yourself:
- What are my values; what feels right for me? What is my purpose?
- How does my work (or the way I do it) support my purpose?
- What am I willing to do to align my work with my purpose?
Knowing and aligning with your purpose will fuel your resilience.
Want to learn more? Join ECC and Karsten Drath on May 14, 2015, when Karsten will discuss purpose and the other six Spheres of Resilience.
