The Sweet Spot
/
I saw this image on a friend's FB page and thought it was so simple and so profound. I stopped to think through some important ideas this graphic shows:
- The larger circles on the outside describe motivation - what is driving action. Different individuals may have different levels of interest in what drives them. They may be motivated by what they are good at and know they can do well. Or they may be motivated by what they can be paid for and how they can make more money. It's important to recognize how our values impact what we choose to be involved in.
- The words in the intersecting circles describe the foundations of purpose in work. Profession is work that involves a skill or area of knowledge that you get paid to perform. Vocation is work that provides necessary goods and services to the community and earns an income for the provider. Mission is work that is focuses on others' needs and allows you do help by doing something you already love. Passion is work that is a joy to perform, pairing what you love to do with what you are good at doing. Each of these areas are essential to a well functioning society, community, and family.
- The ultimate goal for finding purpose in life is the star in the very center: the sweet spot. It balances each of the motivations and keeps profession, vocation, mission, and passion in tension leading to fulfilling work. The challenge is to find how can we achieve this harmony in our life.
This image also prompted a few questions for me:
- If I could only choose 1 or 2 or 3 of the foundations of purpose, which would I choose?
- Which motivations do I notice driving my decisions about purpose and work?
- How could I make more strategic choices to be closer to the sweet spot on the diagram?
- Who do I know that has hit the sweet spot, and how can I learn from their example?
- In what ways can I encourage others to pursue their purpose?
Hope this makes you think as much as it did for me. I'd love to hear your observations and implications.