How To Find Your Personal Why

Each of us has the ability to impact thousands of people’s lives through providing genuine care for others, whether it is called Customer service or human service. One of my favorite quotes is by author Marian Wright Edelman, who said, “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” However, it is critical that each of us understand the purpose of why we were given this amazing gift of life and what we were put here for, what we are to accomplish in the short time we have. You can’t just deliver world-class service at work; it has to be something that is in you, in all areas of your life. It is who you are; it is the way you treat your family, neighbors, coworkers, Customers, and strangers. And remember, there are no strangers, just friends you haven’t met yet.

My “Why”

More than 15 years ago, I created a personal purpose statement, a vision of what I want to accomplish in my lifetime, and which has served me greatly through good times and some very tough times. I have had this vision posted on my bathroom mirror, it is in my wallet, on the inside of my sun visor, and it’s on my desk. It reads,

“Live an extraordinary life so countless others do as well.”

I don’t want to live an extraordinary life, so I have a bigger bank account, nicer car, house, and more toys. I know that if I live an extraordinary life, so many others will as a result. And if I do not find a way to live an extraordinary life, I will probably end up cheating thousands of people.

Undeveloped potential cheats those around us, those we touch, influence, and impact, as well as deprives ourselves of joy, satisfaction, and opportunities. Living our life to its fullest potential is not an opportunity; it is our responsibility. It is an obligation to be the best version of ourselves we possibly can be, every day. Not just for us and how our life will benefit, but also for all the people depending on us: our spouse, children, friends, employees, coworkers, Customers, and our community.

Living an extraordinary life is living fully. I believe that we all have enormous potential inside each of us, and if there are parts of that potential that we do not develop, we are cheating the rest of the world out of the contribution that we could have made.

So if I don’t live fully, I don’t just deny myself a lot of joy and satisfaction; I deny the rest of the people in the world the benefit of what I could have contributed. Success is when you are firing on all eight cylinders, mentally, physically, emotionally, with family, socially, in your career, financially, and spiritually—all of those are part of you and they all deserve your very best. Living an extraordinary life is like when the flight attendant says, “You must put your own oxygen mask on first before helping those around you.” When you first hear that, it actually sounds a bit selfish. However, what use will you be to anyone else if you do not take care of yourself first?

A personal purpose statement is not something you just write out, post, and expect automatic achievement from. You need to make yourself accountable—it needs to be measurable. For me, living an extraordinary life means there are so many things I need to be working on daily, personally, and professionally. It is everything from whom I am spending my time with (are they positive or negative influences in my life?) to my health, exercise, and diet. Some people think that if they eat junk food all day, that is their business. However, I realize that if I eat a poor diet, it is one of the most selfish things I can do. Because when I get home after work, I am going to be exhausted and irritable and not have any good energy left to spend with my boys. Therefore, I just cheated them. It is not only living longer, but it is the quality of life I want to have during my fifties, sixties, and beyond.

Any time I am feeling like I am not living an extraordinary life, and that is more times than I like to admit, I can look at my key drivers and see why—see what I am neglecting—and hopefully I can get right back on track.

Having a conversation with our amazing summer interns Samuel Gross & Harry Feuer, talking about the importance of college and finding your true calling in life.

In Episode 018, Senior Customer Service Consultant Dave Murray has a fascinating conversation with the Global Trust Leader, David Horsager. What exactly does a Global Trust Leader do, you may ask?  David works with organizations to build trust, outperform, and outlast. David is the best-selling author of The Trust Edge: How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a Stronger Bottom Line.

In this episode you will learn:

• How dramatically institutional trust has declined in the United States in the last 50 years!
• The “Trust Crisis” we currently have in today’s business environment.
• How a lack of trust may actually be the largest expense your organization has.
• How trust and leadership has changed in the midst of the global COVID 19 pandemic.
• What David will be presenting on at the 2020 Virtual Customer Service Revolution.

The 2020 Virtual Customer Service Revolution will take place every Thursday afternoon in October (1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, & 29^th) from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm EST. We realize, given the current climate, that this might be the most critical conference we have ever put on. That is why we have selected the most amazing, diversified group of experts in all areas of business, motivation, mental health, and physical wellness to ensure you and your team can Reimagine…Revolutionize your current and future state both personally and professionally.