Have you ever asked yourself the question, “How will anyone know I’ve been here”? It’s a pretty important question to ask as soon as possible if you want a purposeful life.

My job is extremely interesting, challenging and fulfilling, no more so than when I’m working with those who are passionate about not just what they do but why they do it. There’s no better context for someone like me to add further value in helping those clients to get the best from themselves and their people to increase their business success. These are usually self made entrepreneurs who have believed in themselves and risked everything more than once to achieve their aspirations. They are driven by what they feel in their heart rather than what they think in their head.

Then there are businesses which have started out as those described above and have become so successful they are now a Plc, but where the values of the founder and ethos – the ‘way we do business’, remain at the core of who they are. The people who lead these businesses are equally exciting to work with and where I find I can make a difference because they are clear about what and why. Sometimes I may help them to remind themselves of why and help with the how as they grow and evolve.

However, I sometimes find myself working with clients who are striving to succeed in a context where they are merely doing a job … ‘turning the handle’ to pay the bills and have become a prisoner of the reward package and, trust me, there’s nothing more developmentally stifling and mentally draining.

Of course making a decision to follow your real aspirations once you have a lifestyle that requires a specific level of income can be challenging , particularly if you have a family who have also become accustomed to the trappings of that lifestyle. So, quite often, in these situations, my value is restricted to helping these particular clients make the most of themselves within the confines of their existing context because they will never summon the courage to change it. I call this ‘tactical coaching’ as opposed to developmental coaching.

So … back to the question “How will people know I’ve been here”? … Whilst not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, we should all strive to be the best we can be and have the courage to gain the clarity of where we thrive and add most value, follow that path and succeed. Only then will others know we’ve been here. Those who merely turn up and go through the motions and draw a salary rarely make any real impact, add any lasting value or find fulfilment.

It takes courage to change, it’s far easier to just keep doing what you feel comfortable with and what you’ve always done but as the saying goes … ‘If you do what you’ve always done – you’ll get what you’ve always got’.

“The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it”. Steve Jobs

Book recommendation:

Jo Malone – My Story – A woman who truly built a brand on her passion … A brand that has become much bigger than her.