I had the opportunity this month to engage in a fireside chat with an employee resource group at one of the world’s biggest technology companies. The theme of the group was mental health – how we think, feel and act. More specifically, exploring the intersection between purpose and mental health to support people showing up at their best and focus on what matters in their personal and professional lives, to:

• overcome challenges;
• be true to themselves;
• support others in being at their best; and
• make meaningful progress towards their aspirational goals on a daily basis.

Below is a synopsis of some of the key themes (part 1) and a practical exercise (part 2) for you to reflect upon, should you wish to challenge yourself to build up your mental wealth (I prefer ‘wealth’ – something to build and makes up for my lack of financial wealth)!

How I view mental wealth:

the ability to manage our thoughts and emotions to adapt and react to challenges in a way that aligns with and advances our purpose and principles.

What is purpose:

Purpose: “Purpose is the reason something or someone exists, the unique qualities it or they can bring to life at their best, to deliver meaningful positive impact.”

Principles: we define below as part of our purpose game plan, as the behaviors that put the values you can’t live without, into action.

Purpose underpins each of the practices we can employ to build our mental wealth. It gives them meaning, context, focus and direction. It defines why we exist and what we’re here to do. It builds hope around our aspirations and develops our best-self around the positive impact we want to have in the world.

How to discover your purpose:

We run a “Live & Lead with Purpose” program, specifically for this which digs deep into this simple framework: Purpose = Passion + Impact + Application

• Passion: So, start by working out what you’re passionate about – the things you care about, what you believe in, what you enjoy, what you’re good at. There are tons of ways to unpack this but try these two exercises as a start – Magic Moments, Driving Force.
• Impact: Be intentional about the impact you want to have. What would make you and others proud in terms of the meaningful positive difference you can have on Me, We, and the World? So, for you, what would success look like with meaning – what would you be proud of having achieved or overcome for yourself; what meaningful difference can you make to those closest to you / who you spend the most time with; what sits beyond that – the community, a charity / cause, the environment that you can make a difference for? Fast forward 10 years for these answers.
• Application: Understand when you at your best & worst, what situations, who with, doing what. What changes can you make day to day to infuse more passion and impact into your actions, experiences and interactions?

Context around purpose & mental health:

Purpose is one of four foundational components that provide a framework around your mental health: purpose is ‘Why’ something is meaningful to you. It accompanies ‘Where do I want to get to?’ ‘What do I want to achieve along the way?’; and ‘How will I show up as my best self?’. We work with our clients to put these into a one-page purpose game plan which encompasses the following:

• Where represents your aspirational dream – what a better world looks like as a result of you being it? It’s essentially your personal vision statement; plus your impact – on the Me, We, and World levels, as described earlier.
• What represents your ambitions, 3 years out. 3 stretch goals for you to achieve (e.g. chair a non-profit board, achieve VP role, 100 active families in community program). You should work towards at least one of these every day, starting today.
• How is both your principles – the behaviors that bring the values you can’t live without, to life; and your focus – the 1 – 3 things you keep front of mind every day to filter your time and energy.

So, like anything else purpose in a vacuum has no air to breathe. Consider your purpose against these other aspects, as it is these that provide the game plan for you to bring your purpose to life. You then use this purpose as a lens through which you view life, i.e.

because this is my purpose (XYZ), I believe (ABC), so I will….”

Hence, the correlation between purpose and mental health: once discovered, purpose provides a lens through which your mind views the world.

Clearly, we all have ‘mental health’ just like we all have a purpose. We all experience mental health, regardless of whether we have taken the time to discover our purpose. However, by discovering our purpose we establish an anchor and a north star that help ground us, fuel us, inspire us and guide us not only through our mental wealth practices, but also moreover through life towards our long-term aspirations on a daily basis.

Click here for part two to try a simple framework for 5 days that is grounded in purpose to build your mental health.

To learn more about how we support you in living and leading with purpose, please get in touch!