Have you ever started something and not quite finish it? Have you ever struggled to stay focused on a single task or goal? What keeps a person focused and committed in the face of adversity?
In the movie True Grit Maddie, a young teenage girl, sets out to avenge her father's death. The murderer, Tom Chaney, has vanished and "no one could be bothered to care." We are initially led to believe Maddie is searching for a person to find Chaney and bringing him to justice. In actuality she is looking for a person who will match her passion and commitment. Ultimately, she finds Marshall Cogburn. But, he is not going for her, he's joining her! Why is Maddie so driven? Justice for her father. So, beyond just being a great movie, is there anything we can apply to our own lives for our own lives?
Two words. Vision and Purpose. Maddie constantly imagined bringing Chaney to justice and kept that purpose constantly in front of her.
In his work "Man's Search for Meaning," Victor Frankl unpacks the idea of perseverance by recounting his experience of surviving Auschwitz. Frankl suggests that humanity's deepest desire is to find meaning and, if we find it, we can survive anything. He goes on to propose we find meaning through three basic avenues: work, love, and suffering.
The purpose of this series has been to explore the intersection of Talents, Awareness and Grit. As I reflect on these intersections, I'm drawn to the idea that we must identify and attach our lives to a purpose beyond ourselves; that the work we do is making a difference, that our loved ones need us, and the challenges we face offer a greater meaning to our lives. In all of our diversity and differences, we all search for good work. We each have a deep need to love and be loved. We all experience pain.
When we are cognizant of the opportunities and needs around us we become aware. When we articulate how we have been gifted to best respond to those opportunities and needs, we are able to engage our talents. When we connect those opportunities and talents to a larger purpose and meaning, our ability to persevere will increase exponentially.
Here are a few next steps to make these ideas come to life!
In Your Personal Life:
- Identify one area of your work that makes a difference in world. Write it on a 3x5 Card and put it somewhere you can see it throughout the day.
- Write a letter, email, or text to someone you love. Tell them at least one thing you are grateful for.
- Identify an area of suffering in your life? How has it changed you? How could you grow from this experience?
In Your Organization:
- Identify at least one way your organization is improving the lives of people.
- Find a clear way to communicate this impact to your team and invite them to celebrate!