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WHAT IS PURPOSE AND HOW IS PURPOSE DEFINED? plans, and a myriad of other common
but not as important goals. Dividing
Having meaning in your life, discovering what matters, as
well as being satisfied and happy that you have contributed your your purpose into realistic short and
long term goals increases the chance
talents to society are all aspects of purpose. Purpose is what gets
you out of bed in the morning and not what keeps you up at night. for success. This positive feedback
Purpose is what motivates you and keeps you going every day. encourages even more undertakings.
As one progresses through life,
“What do you feel truly passionate about?” is the question to ask
yourself in order to begin to understand your purpose. What do purpose can and does change. For
youngsters, goals of doing well
you want to do is an important question to answer honestly even
if the idea feels a bit scary or improbable. Exploring our purpose with athletics, friends or school are
can sometimes feel intimidating even though we all have unique important. Young adults are searching
for satisfying and engaging careers, regardless of whether they
abilities and competencies.
realize we spend more waking time with our work colleagues
than our families. Middle-age folks wonder what’s next and
WHO HAS PURPOSE AND HOW whether they should stay in the same job, environment, or
ARE PEOPLE WITH PURPOSE DIFFERENT? relationship. Pre-retirees start thinking about the next chapter,
while new retirees redefine their daily lives. The older elderly
Purposeful people are attracted to each other. We all tend
hopefully look back with fond memories on how well they did
to aggregate with like-minded colleagues. Healthy people hang
fulfilling their purpose.
together much the way smokers aggregate. Show me your friends,
As one progresses through various purposes in life, the Blue
and I’ll be able to describe you. In general, the world is drawn to
Zone purpose workshop identifies five stages in “Life’s Purpose
high energy, resilient, positive people. The saying that people bring
Spiral.” The big picture which you experience from birth to
their own weather with them has so much truth because likes
death can be subdivided into smaller cycles of life. These smaller
attract likes (unlike magnets where opposites attract).
cycles are experienced many times throughout our lives and
each time we tend to learn something more about our purpose.
HOW DO YOU FIND PURPOSE? Occasionally, a triggering event can dramatically shift our
• Construct a self-awareness inventory as a good first step, purpose. Consider my experience in 2000 when the then 34
according to tips gleaned from the Purpose Workshop and Blue year successful CEO and President of NCH asked me to
Zones writings. Think about your own abilities, interests, standards, migrate from a busy private practice of rheumatology, internal
and principles. You also have mental, physical and emotional medicine, and geriatrics in Naples for the past twenty-three
strengths to add to the mix. Writing these attributes down and years to join the leadership team of the healthcare system. After
cataloging the positives will be pleasantly surprising, as we all have a learning curve of six years, first as Chief Medical Officer then
more abilities than we realize. President, I have become the second longest tenured President
• Develop an action plan, taking into account where you are and CEO of NCH. My workshop experience with Lisa helped
currently and where you would like to be in the future based on me crystallize my purpose: help everyone live a longer, happier,
your purpose in life. Stephen Covey in his landmark book, The and healthier life.
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, admonishes everyone to The first stage contains plateaus, which are stable and often
start with the end in mind. Facetiously, if you don’t know where pleasant periods. These end with a second stage triggering
you are going any road will take you there. Have a goal which is event that knocks a person off a safe but sometimes stagnating
your purpose and a plan to accomplish the objective. plateau. Getting the courage to let go and begin exploring
• Reward yourself by identifying your accomplishments. alternatives, one enters the third stage of limbo, which can be
Reminding ourselves of our good accomplishments encourages daunting and/or healthy—filled with a sense of uncertainty and
us to take appropriate risks to continue on the journey to have confusion when the triggering event is stressful or elation and
purpose. excitement when presented with a new opportunity. Taking
• Recognize others’ virtuous deeds. Public recognition matters. stock, the fourth stage, consists of evaluating and making
The importance but scarcity of positive feedback in today’s society choices while remaining optimistic. Finally, taking action by
is a comment I have shared consistently with patients who have entering the final stage of this life-cycle fulfills your personal
acknowledged their wonderful care from healthcare professionals. mission of finding purpose.
• Find a partner with whom you can share your plan and By embracing a worthwhile purpose, you add years of
purpose, thereby increasing the chances of success multifold. productive life for yourself and help those around you live
Whether you share privately, write definitively, or declare publicly longer, happier, and healthier lives. Consider taking a purpose
your plans with real milestones and metrics, you commit. Just workshop which can be scheduled at https://southwestflorida.
the opposite happens with New Year’s resolutions, diets, exercise bluezonesproject.com/events/landing

Life in Naples | May • June • July 2017 47