What Were You Made For?

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The Grammy Awards aired on Sunday, Feb. 4. Music has such an impact on our emotional well being. As the Grammy’s highlight, there are so many great artists in every genre. They enrich our lives.

Billie Eilish was nominated for a song that was showcased in the Academy Award nominated movie, “Barbie.” The song “What Was I Made For” begins with Billie questioning how she’s starting to change and beginning to question her place in the world. (Note: After I wrote the first draft of this blog, it won “Song of the Year.”)

““I used to float, now I just fall down, I used to know but I’m not sure now… What was I made for? Takin’ a drive, I was an ideal. Looked so alive, turns out, I’m not real. Just something you paid for. What was I made for ?”

Regardless of our stature in life, every one of us has a purpose. It’s not the form we take (occupation) or results we achieve (money we make). It’s our “why?” It may seem to be an academic or even frivolous question when most of us are simply struggling to navigate life’s everyday challenges. Yet, if we have space to reflect a little, each of us has a genuine, distinct purpose that belongs to us uniquely. It is not to be judged by any metric, it is just what it is, our very personal “why.” When we discover our purpose and declare a set of values that guide us, more often than not, our imperfect life is more gratifying with aligned integrity. This sustains us through our many ups and downs.

The same principle underlies strong organizational cultures. Clarity of purpose and a commitment to meaningful values helps sustain an organization through market turbulence. And when employees have an opportunity to align personal purpose and values with organization purpose and values, everyone thrives more than less. How great is that? And that’s why harmony is a great metaphor for thriving cultures. The music from our individual purpose as it rolls into connected, collective action is literally palpable. This may sound like a stretch, weaving pop culture into a blog about organization worklife. However, those of us that have been fortunate to feel it, know that there is a true positive vibe in great cultures. It’s when individual, team and organization purpose/values are in true harmony, the outcome is more than teamwork. It’s an actual forward leaning movement that makes us better as humans, individually and collectively. Additionally, it helps organizations to better balance the paradox of constructive purpose and enriching results.

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now,

- Lorne

One Millennial View: Perhaps the “five year plan” question is like nails on a chalkboard in terms of how people receive it audibly. It’s certainly not a Grammy winning tune. However, a purpose does not require you to know where you’ll be in five years, it asks you if the moment/situation/action you’re up to falls into that purpose, and keeps things in key, even if we hit a bad note every once in a while. I don’t necessarily believe in the accuracy of a five year plan, however I certainly believe in a purpose, and finding what harmonizes with that best.

- Garrett

Edited and published by Garrett Rubis

What Were You Made For?

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