Do You Want to be Accessible, Relevant, and Visible in 2023?

Did Covid make you feel inaccessible, irrelevant, and invisible in 2020-2022?
Has the new world economic disorder compounded how you may be feeling about being inaccessible, irrelevant, or invisible in 2023?

If there was a way to become accessible, relevant, and visible in 2023, would you do it?

Being accessible, relevant, and visible is all about your purpose.

Purpose is not a noun, a possession, person, place, or position but a verb that is an ever-expanding expression of your values.

Living a values-based purposeful life offers all kinds of value to ourselves as individuals, our families, the clients and organizations we serve, and society.

Before you begin down the rabbit hole, you need to focus on what makes you different - so you can make a difference.

Who do you know that will assist you in defining your values and purpose?

Before you revamp your systems, marketing, and behavior, this is the foundational piece. You need to get in alignment with the value you provide through your business, your ministry, your vocation, and your calling. Who do you trust who can help you see things on a big-picture level in small action steps?

You making a difference during this new world economic disorder is essential. Having experts like you who have decades of experience to help businesspeople, entrepreneurs, families, and intergenerational businesses navigate these waters is crucial. More than ever, your community needs guidance in their plan to grow assets, protect assets, save tax, and build a legacy.

You must realize your purpose and your consciousness. You must be vigilant as attention goes where energy, focus, money, and time are invested.

If you are not invested in the right place, neither will your clients.

Here’s the latest research on the benefits of awareness of your purpose:

Wealth: Increased levels of income and assets.
Relationships: More intimate and fulfilling relationships, whether romantic or platonic.
Health: A 32% health increase in several areas such as memory, executive function, mood, better lifestyle choices, less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, and longer life (by seven years!)
Career: A massive increase in productivity (by 175%) and living in alignment with more meaningful work. This leads to more effective leadership (+63%), fulfillment (+64%), learning (2x), and engagement (4x).
Corporate: Purpose-driven companies experienced over 10% growth compared to those who focused on other avenues of motivation.
Team: Happier and more productive team members who are also 175% more productive, 64% more fulfilled, and 4x more engaged.
Profit: Companies saw a $9K per person per year increase as purpose-driven firms are 30% more innovative. 73% of global customers or consumers will switch to a higher-purpose brand.

Purpose isn’t only for the workplace. Sure, it can be found through your career, but it could also be from being a great spouse, parent, caregiver, contributor to your community, cyclist, or practicing meditation and prayer.

However, a recent survey found that 70% of people said that their work defines their primary sense of purpose. A few even view their work as a calling, ministry, or vocation.

The pandemic is said to have created The Great Resignation, then The Great Reflection leading to The Great Awakening for some.

How do you find your purpose?

The first question to ask is, where is purpose lacking?

Another question is, what are you willing to say no to or quit to discover something new?

In what areas of your life are you over-purposed?

During our transition between 2018-2022, I came to realize I was over-purposed in the following areas:

Writing a digitized online course
Live speaking
Virtual coaching
Writing webinars
Virtual speaking
Writing customized, one-on-one virtual coaching content

In 2022, Laura and I re-committed to refining our purpose. We simplified our business and personal lives, including moving our business and residence.

What kept us going was being centered in purpose.

In purpose comes from the heart.
On purpose comes from the mind.

Does finding your purpose mean that you have to change careers? No. Realigning your true values will reignite your inspiration in your current environment.

Seth Godin asks, “What series of tasks and efforts and skill development could you commit to if you thought it was worth it so that you could be lit up at the end?”

Purpose requires the right heart set and mindset. Purpose is not a role or a goal; it is an aim and a heart set and mindset to awaken, grow, continually give, and make a difference to others. That’s why we are here. It’s who we bring to what we do.

What comes first, purpose or passion?

Purpose is the inspiration for your passion, and passion should not be confused with adrenaline.

Passion comes from your values-based heart and is far more sustainable and fulfilling than the adrenaline from your needs-based mind.

Purpose and passion must be aligned.

Here are my passions:

Practicing meditation and yoga
Practicing forgiveness of self and others
Planning romantic outings with Laura
Receiving a massage at a spa, especially after a 14-hour travel day returning from Iowa
Reducing media consumption
Profoundly listening and hearing my clients and then providing sound solutions
Raising money for charitable causes
Tracking and celebrating progress

Purpose is something that you do for both yourself and others.

One must ask significant questions from the inside to get to a meaningful outer purpose. One must peel back the tart rind of the needs-based skin of the outside world to get to the juice, the heart, the sweetness of the pure values-based answers in your core.

Purpose and success are not about the future or the past but the present moment in the values-based middle of who you are.

Purpose and success are not about how and what you are doing. Purpose and success are about why.

Purpose must be expressed because what is not expressed is depressed.

Purpose requires the courage to crack open the colorful outside shell of the candy to get to the gooey inside sweetness of what is inside you so that you are your best self.

Purpose requires looking at your identity.

Identity: The fact of being who or what a person or thing is – the body/mind
Id: The part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifest
Entity: Being/heart/self

Let’s look at purpose in this unique way:

Your purpose is to discover your gifts
Your work is to develop your gifts
Your meaning is to deliver your gifts

Purpose requires values-based self-love, exploring the needs-based person, and loving all of it together.

Purpose is a conscious and vigilant way of going from a victim of the world to a victor and contributor to the world through the self.

One must continue to realize consciousness and be vigilant as attention goes where energy, focus, money, and time are invested.

NOW is the best time to be a financial advisor/planner to help clients to transition to create a better plan to grow assets, protect assets, save tax and leave a legacy.

Would it be worth having a conversation to realize these kinds of results?

"I realized it's tough to keep yourself accountable, and I would need a push. Simon gave me that push." Dave Beaty, Heartland Financial Services, Cedar Falls, IA

"After I get off of the phone call with Simon, I feel like I have my superwoman cape on, and I can do anything." Janea Dieno, Bright Rock, Saskatoon, SK

"I feel that I have had a change at my cellular level." Adam Solano, Lakeside Financial Group, Grayslake, IL

Thanks for the opportunity to be of service.

Simon Reilly

PS – Laura and I are taking Living and Working On Purpose from The Modern Elder Academy.

We are gaining a ton of insights from the course.

Writing this blog reminds me of 4 Steps To Reading a Book, which may have originated with Stephen Covey. This also coincides with the proverb, "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand." Xunzi (340 - 245 BC)

Step 1: Read the book.
Step 2: Read the book a second time and highlight the best parts that resonate with you.
Step 3: Transcribe / shortlist/bullet point the book's best parts that resonate with you.
Step 4: Go out and teach what you have learned.

This blog is a mash-up of the best material from the course, along with my own insights.

Simon Reilly is a consultant, speaker, and author with Leading Advisor and a contributing columnist for Advisor Today.

16 min read