Episode 79 - What about living on purpose?

This episode is based on the notion that: "strategy matters, but purpose moves people!". We'd love to know what you think about that, so contact us on the details below to let us know your thoughts.

We talked about what purpose gets us out of bed in the morning; is our purpose heart or head led; how we help clients find their purpose; when we evolve in business and life does our purpose change; the impact of not knowing and then embracing your purpose; and when we think of our purpose which of our values lights up.

It was a great conversation so we hope you enjoy it.

Bye for now!

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day

License code: IXCNEBVQPQVTC05X

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day

License code: IXCNEBVQPQVTC05X

We'd love to connect:

Rachel:

WEB: http://www.inspiredlifegroup.co.uk
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Rachel-Haith
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/inspiredlifegroup

Jenny:
WEB: https://jenuineconsulting.com/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenuineconsulting/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/jenny.gordon.370

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Good day everyone. Um, whatever, wherever you are in the world, whatever time of day it is, we wish you a fabulous one from the Ray Show. Welcome to the latest episode.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Rachel. Well, it's lovely to be here yet again. And welcome to all of you that are listening, whether you're watching us on video. If you are give it a wave, hello. And if you're listening on all the podcast platforms, then hello to you too. Um, we're very excited to know that there's people listening in all sorts of different countries now to the show. So we must be doing something right, Jenny, I think, which is which is good. So yeah. So let us know. Um we're on Facebook and Instagram as the Rennie Show Podcast. So if you've got anything you'd like to say to us about the show or any questions you'd like to ask, then do get in touch.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

And if you are enjoying listening or watching, then please tell all your mates. Yeah. Invite them to watch too. Um to if only I could say that. Yeah.

unknown 2:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:19

To subscribe, to share our stuff, uh, because we'd love to have some more listeners.

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Absolutely. Always, always. Um, so today we've decided to talk about this. This episode is called What About Living on Purpose? So, Jenny, I'm gonna hand over to you to ask the first question.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Are you uh well I was gonna say, do you firstly do you have a purpose? It's a two-part question. Because I was gonna say that some of us are heart-led. Yeah, some of us are head-led, different, but no better, no worse, just different. So is your purpose heart-led or head-led?

SPEAKER_00 3:04

Very interesting question. Um, I would have to say heart-led. Um, funny old thing. Uh, I'm guessing yours might be quite similar. Um there, I think there is always an element of head that is in there as well, and possibly even sometimes gets in the way, um, but very much heart-led. And I think that's probably the case for an awful lot of people that like us that work so closely with clients who are in a in a a space or a time in their life that they know something needs to change. And when you make any kind of change in your life, it needs to be the right kind of change for you, and I think that's very much led by what's going on in your heart, generally speaking. Um, certainly the sorts of clients that I we tend to work with will tend to be the people I think that are heart-led. But I I would definitely describe myself as heart-led, which I think that's there's a huge element of that that is to do with my value of service and you know, wanting to be of service and to help people and to make a difference, which I know is something we share. Um, but I think compassion is always a huge part of the way I deal with the world. Uh, and I think that's one of the big things that makes me heart-led in terms of my approach to all the things that I do.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

I would I would add um also that I am I'm gut-led as well. Yeah, heart-led. Uh and I think that sometimes people look and go, um but that ability to trust your gut, trust your instinct. And interestingly, when I was learning about um guts in in my day job as a nurse in a previous life, uh your gut is often thought of as your second brain. Absolutely. So actually being heart and gut-led, well, head, heart, gut, um, is a really useful checking out thing that I use. So your head, your head and your heart and your gut come from different persp they offer different perspectives, don't they? Yeah. And so if your head is going, yes, this must be done, and your heart's going, oh, I'm not sure, and your gut's going, no, no, no. Yeah, um, then there's then there's a mismatch.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

So if you're if you can, if you're thinking about, am I living on purpose, uh check out what your head's saying, what your heart's saying, and what your gut's saying. And if they are aligned, then you're on to something. If one or other of them is going, um, red flag, waving a small or large red flag, then then it gives you the opportunity to just just interrogate that bit, ask some questions about what is it? Um, is it your head trying to keep you safe? Is it your gut going, well, we've been here before, it didn't work, didn't go well. Um, what is it that's going on so that you can have the opportunity to just give it a little bit more thought?

SPEAKER_00 6:29

Yeah, absolutely. And I and I think that comes up quite frequently when when we're meeting new people, there will be, you know, I I've always, you know, my logical brain will say, you know, people are inherently good. They're the this new person you're meeting, connecting with at a networking meeting or whatever, they're going to be by default a good person. That that's kind of the the logic I lead with. But of course, the intuition, the gut, you you often just know, don't you, when you meet someone for the first time and there's just something that feels off, doesn't quite feel right, or that, or there's maybe a lack of trust, or something you just don't know where you stand with that person. I think more often than not, our gut reaction to things like that is spot on. Yeah. It's it's one to be trusted. Um, we're it's not often wrong. Um, and I think you know, everything that you've said about you know the gut being the second brain, you know, that the gut and the brain are so closely linked that whenever there's an imbalance in one, there's it's going to impact the other one. There'll be an imbalance in the other one. So um checking in with ourselves about what's going on with those things, I think is is really, really important. So I'm really glad you brought in a bit about gut, because that's hugely, hugely important. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

We often say we often over uh or we forget to underestimate it, don't we? Yes. Um so and if you think of how many times your your gut makes itself known if you're nervous, if you're worried, all of those things. Uh it's uh it's a very sensitive, uh sensitive organ, your gut.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Definitely something to be listened to. Yes. Okay, so my first question then is what purpose gets you out of bed in the mornings?

SPEAKER_01 8:27

That is a lovely question. Um what gets me out of bed every morning is the permission uh you know to uh to leave the world and not that I'm intending to, um, right now, um, but to leave the world a better place than I found it. So whether that's through the work that I do, um helping people understand themselves better, helping people have conversations that they are avoiding or have avoided having that have had a negative impact on their on their way of being, uh, whatever those conversations are about. Um and so that's the kind of work side, but also the way the way we the way that I choose to live, being intentional about aligning with my values, so doing doing what I can to um reduce the amount of negative impact on the environment. Uh so you know, I don't have a tumble dryer, um uh I don't use I use environmentally friendly uh dishwashing stuff. Those all those little things, recycling, um, you know, all of those things that we that each they're little things, yeah, but they're all things that I do on purpose, but that helps me live in a way that is aligned to what I want to do, which is to say to to leave leave the planet in a better state than it was when I found it, which is quite tricky. Yeah, excuse me. Yeah, um, given where we are right now in the world. But yeah, so those uh living living aligned to my values and my purpose so that they all join up so that you're not again. I think purpose I've said a lot, we we talked about leadership not being a not being a role, but a uh a lifestyle. Yeah, and I think purpose is the same. So whether you're living with purpose, leading with purpose, I'd say they're the same thing, but that's just me. Um so that way of being that's congruent all the way through, so in every um every part of your life, whether it's work, pleasure, play, um, whatever it is you're doing that you're um that you're still going. Oh yeah. I you know, if I go on a picnic, I take my litter home with me, yeah, and I put it in. I would never, ever, ever um leave rubbish for somebody else to pick up. Never, ever, ever, ever. So things like that that I feel really strongly about, you know, that that that I live in that way. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:15

Yeah, I absolutely love that. And it it won't surprise you to know, it resonates very much. Um, I I think my initial answer would be making a positive difference, which is effectively the same thing as what you're saying. Um, it's but it it's choosing those ways that you can make a difference. You know, we we can all make those individual choices uh about the differences that we can make. You know, if we're talking about recycling, um we choose to save things like crisp packets, um, which we then have to go to the effort of spending some petrol or electric, depending on which car we're using, uh, to take it to a supermarket to recycle with the soft plastics. But excuse me, um we go to that extra effort to do that, even though it's sometimes inconvenient finding space in the kitchen to store them. Um, same with all the other soft plastic, which we do the same with. Um, but those little choices you can make, they all make even if it's adapter, yeah, even if it's just the smallest difference, overall these things all add up. Um, and I would I would say the same in terms of um business, wanting to help people make a difference for themselves, wanting to help people empower themselves to take charge for themselves, to uh realize they have the power to to make these choices uh about how they want to live their life. Um and also for me, and I again I'm excuse me, I'm sure there's there's going to be a lot of crossover here uh with you, Jenny, but in terms of making a positive difference in the lives of those around me, the the people that matter, the family, the friends, particularly obviously our two daughters, uh R as in me and Darren, not R as in me and Jenny. Um but our daughters, we know wanting them to realise that they do have choices in life. And you know, yes, there is an argument to say they're born with a certain privilege, um, just because of by virtue of who they've been born to, but to show them that they can also make a difference should they choose to, that they can choose the path they would like to take, and that it doesn't matter if it's the wrong path. Because if you don't there are many paths, yes, you if you don't try, you will never know. And I really want them to go off into the world feeling that they can tackle things, even if it feels hard, even if it might not feel like the right thing at the time, or or it's just the best option at the time, it's kind of good enough to go with it and um and see what happens and and have the strength to to realise that no matter which way that path takes them, there's always further choices that can be made. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

Yeah. And I think that goes along with the with the kind and compassionate, doesn't it? So that we, you know, um leaving the world a better place is like being being the best version of yourself um every day, yeah, even on the days when you know you might not feel exactly the best version of yourself.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

Which let's face it, we all have.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Absolutely. Um, but those, you know, thinking say doing living on purpose. I I love I was very taken with the title of our show today because it's like, yeah, actually, living on purpose, not always easy, not always easy, sometimes very tricky, but actually worth it.

SPEAKER_00 14:54

Yeah, you know, have having the courage to make those choices, even when they are tricky, um, it can be scary, but worth it.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

Yeah. So my question, well, this is a this is an interesting question. So this is a business-y kind of question, but but I suppose um it would equally be um relevant for life. So often we talk about our business evolving, don't we? Our businesses evolve over time. So my question is um as you evolve your business, does your purpose evolve too, or does it stay the same? That's an interesting one.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

Okay. Um I think for me the the fundamental purpose doesn't change. I I think generally speaking, people who are moved to be self-employed, to make that choice, um there there is kind of something almost inexplicable underneath in terms of purpose, um, you know, and even if you're struggling with belief, a level of belief to to push forward and actually take that leap. Um I think it can be refined though, because it could be around who you're trying to help. So the help, the style of help might not particularly change. Excuse me, I've got a bit of a tickle in the throat today. Um but the the type of people that need that help at any given time might well evolve in terms of your purpose. Um, you know, I I've very recently niched to wanting to work with heart-led leaders, predominantly female founders uh and female military and veterans. Um, you know, working with women is something I do feel drawn to, but I don't feel my purpose has changed. Um, just the the delivery who I'm trying to talk to has has perhaps changed. Um, but I think I do think my purpose has evolved along with my self-belief, my experience, as all of those things have happened and evolved as part of my journey as a business owner, um, I've got a lot closer to what I think my purpose actually is. You know, when I first started coaching, excuse me, um, I knew I was hugely drawn to coaching. But if you'd said to me at the beginning, well, who who do you want to help? You'd said everyone. Yeah, everyone, everyone, anyone, anyone with skin.

SPEAKER_01 17:55

Yeah, okay. Anyone with a heartbeat. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:58

Um, and I think there is a certain amount, you know, you can do all the work you like on working out who your ideal client is. But I think a certain amount of that for me will always be an evolution based on what's happening for you and the things you experience, how you change, how you add to your skill set. And so, you know, now I feel equipped to help people that I didn't necessarily feel um as equipped to help before. So, yeah, I I think that was a very long, waffly way of saying that essentially I don't believe my purpose has changed enormously, but um there are elements of it that have evolved, and how I deliver it is perhaps what has evolved more.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

I love the way you said refine, refined. Um I would use the word distilled, which is the same kind of thing, isn't it? So when you just when you distill when you distill anything, alcohol, yeah, um, dis water, you know, it you you you're making it more concentrated, yes, and more powerful um in a way. So I I my um my interpretation of that purpose is that as we um as we live it, yeah, there are there are things that you go, oh I could I need to do more of that, less of this. Yes. So it's about refining, uh, refining, distilling, yeah. Um distilling it down so that your purpose becomes more powerful. More powerful purpose. Um, but I think that that for many people in business, but in life, actually, the you know, you as you go through life, you might you might have a job that you love, and then things change, maybe the management changes, the um the role changes, the world changes, and you think, oh, actually, this isn't really me anymore. And so I can move on to something that's more aligned with what I think or what I feel.

SPEAKER_02 20:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Um, and so I think all of us as human beings evolve as we grow up, mature, definitely things life lifing, yeah, can have a profound impact on um on your on the the details of your purpose. It might be tweaked a bit.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:26

So uh yeah, are we refined and distilling? Yeah, I think that's yeah, that's that's a oh see, who knew? That was a good question, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Yeah, that was a cool code, love it. Okay. Um so oh, is this is my second question? Yeah, I don't think I've asked this one yet. So um I guess this it pretty much to uh follows on quite nicely. How do you help clients find their purpose?

SPEAKER_01 20:54

Oh, well, um I think firstly holding the space, and we we talk often, don't we, about giving people time and space because those are often two things that many of us in today's whirlwind from frenetic um paced world time and space to think uh is is often we often feel like that's not available. Yeah. So I think giving people the time and the space to just explore and to think. Um I also do a lot of work around values, values and behaviors and what that what that means. And it's not the it's not just those nice words, not what nice words to have on a wall, yeah, kind of values, but the thing about what really what's your core back to uh one of our previous episodes talking about self-belief. What are those core things that you the hill you die on? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um that you the foundations, the thing that the things uh that you absolutely um no line, you know, you that people can't cross. Yeah. Um that that you would uh that you would say um die on a hill for. So I think those, and again, we don't we often don't spend time enough time thinking about what those values are and what they mean. So it's easy. So one of my values um is love, yeah. Um, and that's really easy word to say, yeah. It's not easy to do, is it? No. It's not easy to do. So what as well as having the value, we look at uh what does that mean for you in the way that you behave and the way that you run your business intentionally. So, you know, how do you respond um when uh love is hard? Um and it doesn't matter what your values are, but that uh that behaviour that is associated with them, and it's obviously it's sometimes it's a step that we don't go far enough. with.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

So people go, Oh yeah, my values, and they read them out and give you what does that mean? What does that mean at three o'clock on a Friday? Yeah. When you've had a really rough week and I don't know, you know, maybe things haven't worked out in the way that you had hoped. How do you what does love look like then?

SPEAKER_02 23:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:28

So and I think when you when you have a real handle on your uh on your values then you can uh you can explore so what does that what does how does that feed into your purpose what you what you feel that you're here to do and say we can we can be as big um as big as we like uh and then fill in the fill in the spaces later on.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

Yeah absolutely that resonates massively um values is is one of the big things for me as well it's on my 12 month group coaching program values is one of the absolute key uh sessions that we do and there is you know separate one-to-one coaching around that specific topic as well not just in the group because I think the difference it can make when you as you've said you can have a list of four five six values nice words yeah they sound good uh they might sound nice when you say them to other people but if you don't understand what those values mean to you where it came from what what those values would cause you to do so I I I love the idea um and this always seems to go down really well when I'm talking to people about this particularly in the group um when I say to them you know one of the things that can help you check in as to whether something is truly one of your values or not is obviously if if your value pick a value if if it's trampled on for you that will make you have a reaction do you have the same reaction when when you see someone else being trampled on so what I mean by that is one of my values is justice. So if I feel I've been treated unjustly the reaction is is quite significant. If I see someone else being treated unjustly I have the same reaction. I you know it's that visceral reaction responding on their behalf even though you're not the one being targeted. And I think that's a great way potentially of checking in to just solidify which of these words are actually your values and I think um choosing the right words is really important as well because it's very easy to to say to pick the example you've already given to say love. What if what you actually mean by that is family you know family ties family bonds um there are so many different types of love so is love the right word there could be a different word that actually is what gets to the crux of what you feel about that thing. And I always think it's really interesting to explore what the words are you know an example that comes to mind of someone I worked with recently um independence was something that came up a lot and actually what that really meant for them was freedom which has which which just opened up a whole different level of connection for that person to that value just through having talked around the subject and realizing that freedom was what actually was really really important to them and a huge part of what's driving them. So yeah I mean obviously there are so many other things apart from values in the way that that we can help um people to find their purpose but I do think that's a really really important part of the equation um again along with things like what brings them joy so many people never think about what brings them joy they might know that you know seeing my family brings me some joy riding a roller coaster although not in Jenny's case um brings me joy you know you you you might sort of be aware of those things but how often do you actually sit down and give some thought again it's that taking a step back taking a pause reflect what actually brings you joy and I think because of the way that life is paced so fast these days a lot of people don't really spend any time thinking about that and when they suddenly realize oh well actually it's you know it's human connection it's live music it's you know whatever it is it could be all sorts but when they realise what those things are you can proactively put more of it in place to keep the joy levels topped up so um yeah I think there are there are lots of things but I think values and where is your joy are two of the really big ones for me. So yeah. Yeah and it's it's what matters isn't it it's what matters what really really matters to um to you um as a human what what you know what really matters um because that is often linked um to your purpose and sometimes um sometimes that's linked to other things um it might be where you live it uh say in a place it might be a person uh so though all of those things are are are part of the purpose finding um activity yes I love it I love it okay so what you want to do well mine is simply about um uh we're going back to the values a bit actually because that really struck me is that um when you think of your purpose um so we can give people an example a real life example okay which of your values kind of light up which uh and align beautifully um can you give us an example uh a a rage example of how your value uh one of your values or more um align with with your purpose okay um so the first one that that comes to mind for me would have to be service for that because that's a a big part that's always underpinned yeah the things I've chosen to do um joining the air force you know serving queen as as was at the time a country um the just there's something about being able to that that it's not always selfless but being able to to be of selfless service to someone to help in achieving a goal so whether that you know when I when I think of my time in the air force there were so many things I was so so proud to do um because I was being of service and helping something to be achieved. You know one of those moments was um doing RAF ceremonial stuff um at uh St. Paul's Cathedral early on in my career and having an involvement in making that um that service run as it needed to run um I mean yes I was technically being paid to be there and do that but for me there was a higher purpose involved in that because you know the um well the current king uh prince whale Prince of Wales as was at the time um was attending the service and so the I felt so so proud to be able to be just a tiny cog in helping to make that service run smoothly and and do the things that that needed to be done. And again I think there's been so many situations when when I was uh on deck in the Middle East and we were helping to um with resupply of liquid oxygen for the fast jets flying in Afghanistan which was absolutely critical if they ran out of liquid oxygen they could not fly end of um and knowing you know when things got to difficult moments where they were going to run out and there was all these kind of logistical issues that needed to be resolved to make it work um and being involved in helping something again even even if you're just a tiny cog in in the in the working grand scheme of in the grand scheme to help achieve that aim that that meant protecting our people and you know being able to um fly their combat air patrols and and do carry out their duties to know that we were helping for that to happen was was just incredible and it's you know that um yes there's a there was a degree of well that's the job I'm doing so I've been told to do it so I have to do it but it was so much more than that it was it really was making a difference and helping for the the more the wider objectives to be achieved and that felt incredible you know it's um service is definitely something that's been a huge part of a lot of the things that I've done in my life and when I started coaching that was the first time I actually realized that I I didn't really um I hadn't ever done any work on values prior to that and I didn't really understand what that meant. I just as I thought well I'm I'm driven to be in the military and do XYZ and you know I kind of I suppose it's a one of those things where you don't know what you don't know. You you just get walk the path that you feel is right at the time. But getting to grips with and understanding that that was one of my values it was so enlightening to it made so many things make sense and I I think that's that's really important as well in in terms of that self-awareness it just makes things make sense. So yeah I I Phil I've waffled a bit on that one but I hope that answered the question.

SPEAKER_01 34:20

No no it was really interesting. So um so one of my one of my absolutely core uh foundational values is um it's unity I've done a lot of work on this um to come up with this it was a it was a yes um uh deep work um around that and you might think oh that's an interesting uh it's an interesting word for a for somebody who works in communication and relationships particularly that tricky in-law relationships uh and it for me unity isn't about um necessarily staying together but it's about unity is about understanding and uh sharing perspectives so even if that relationship changes in a way that you maybe didn't you hadn't anticipated that you have a level of understanding and respect for that other person's point of view so it isn't fixing it at all costs but that unity is around um even if we even if we agree to differ we can agree to differ from a perspective of understanding fairness justice um and that we can and if we go our separate ways um that actually we go we go in you know we go in peace yeah mostly uh we go in peace and that actually you can uh there are such things aren't there as good endings yeah so those conversations so when people said unity that's an interesting I was like no I've it I spent a lot of time it's not just getting everybody to agree yeah um and go and somebody has to win and somebody has to lose um but that unity of shared shared understanding and shared respect for the individuals involved in that conversation so actually unity is really really important to me unity of connection of so all of the things and it it as I say leaks I don't mean that and it it's absolutely fundamental to all of the things that I do and the way the way that I do them.

SPEAKER_00 36:43

Yeah and I I think I I loved listening to you talk about that because I think that is brilliant evidence of the fact it's not just about choosing a word it's about understanding what that actually means to you because unity could mean something slightly different to different people. Yes but you've clearly got a really tight grip because of doing the work on what that word means to you and why and that right there is the absolute power of truly understanding what your values are.

SPEAKER_01 37:15

And I think also articulating them so quite often when there is a there is an assumed shared meaning that isn't always necessarily true. And we've talked about this before haven't we that sometimes you can say a word that that has a very specific meaning and understanding for you that somebody else will interpret in a completely different way. So actually always checking out the old adage isn't it never assume but always checking out what when asking the questions being curious we talk a lot about that don't we be curious somebody somebody said to me the other day are you nosy and I said no I am curious. Yeah there's a difference I'm curious not sure what the difference is I think the difference is in the word yes um it's that curiosity tell me more help me understand help me understand um your perspective and what it looks like for you um that is is a really uh important thing to do so checking out people's meanings so yeah I have done a lot of work around unity because again on the surface it's like oh that's a bit you know you want everybody to think together and think um by our no not necessarily love that brilliant okay so my final question for you what do you think is the impact of not knowing and therefore being able to embrace your purpose I for me purpose is is like an anchor um I was gonna say an anchor or is it a compass? Maybe it's one or the other or both would it be both I think both um because obviously if you're anchored you ain't going anywhere right yeah um um but I think it it is it is it it anchors you to yourself yes and your values and it provides a compass it provides a direction um um a pathway for you to follow and I think um it doesn't mean that the path that you follow is straight no it's always gonna be wiggly isn't it um doesn't mean that you won't you won't wander I was gonna say it doesn't mean you won't get lost it's not getting lost it's wandering um because sometimes we take a you know we go off at a tangent some of us more than others um but there are you know there might be reasons where you you are drawn to a particular route yeah um that turns out to be um a route for a time yeah but not the route and I think that's where the anchor is so it's that being able to um and a question I often ask myself is um if I'm you know excited about something which happens quite often um is it you know does it is it is it aligned to my purpose does it does it does it take me nearer where I want to go or is it a is it a off-pieced adventure doesn't mean it doesn't mean I might not take the off-pieced adventure because who knows what I might find but it's asking that question and I think if you haven't if you haven't identified yet what your purpose is then you can you can become a bit kind of directionless uh and it can feel like swimming uphill intrigue or you know because you don't you you you don't have that kind of core anchor um and you also don't have a direction so I think not how and and often people get often well as we both said our purpose is quite it's quite big yeah um but actually it's also very specific. So it's a big thing but with lots of little tiny things that we can do um to help. So it isn't that you have to have a hugely complicated purpose. No it can be quite a I think ours is quite a general sort of a it may sound like a generic kind of I want to leave this world a better place. But actually the specifics of it are really intentional they're really and they can be little tiny things so you don't you know you could say um you know I'm going to give a million pounds to I don't know clean water or whatever it is um and that might not be within your gift. So actually what are the small things that you can do every day that contribute because the little things there's that great story do you know the stone soup story? I'm not sure I do. Well I'll tell it's very quick story. It was one that my um children used to have when they were at primary school and I just loved it because it has such a um so uh in the village um so villager the the the the head of the village said we're gonna have a celebration we're all gonna we're all gonna celebrate being a part of this fabulous village together um and we're going to all contribute to the dinner and so we're gonna have this great cauldron in the middle of the village and we're gonna we're gonna um make uh fabulous vegetable soup and if everybody gives a little yeah um then we will have this amazing feast um so that seemed like a really good idea and of course over the weeks that followed um in preparation for the um for the feast um you know the odd villager went well nobody'll nobody'll notice if I don't do it yeah so instead of me giving my vegetables I'm just gonna pop in some pebbles so I'll go to the I'll go to the cauldron it'll look like I'm doing what I'm supposed to and I'll put this oh I'll put the stones in um and then that'll be fine. It's only me um it I can't make nobody would ever notice because what possible it's only me one person how much difference can one person make um and obviously um the night of the feast um arrived um and this magical you know the chief was stirring um and he poured out and of course what they had was stone soup uh because more villagers had thought that they weren't going to make a difference oh just me so those little tiny differences that you think how can I make a difference actually though they add up and if everybody thinks that they can't possibly make a difference because I'm just one person I would invite you to rethink.

SPEAKER_00 44:04

Yeah yeah absolutely and I I think that the thing I would add um is when you don't know what your purpose is I think there is a lot more being reactionary to things rather than being intentional and as we've discussed many times being intentional about things and understanding why you're doing it and what difference it can make in an ideal world will generally speak lead to decisions that take you in a direction that's aligned with your values your purpose and and who you are whereas if you don't understand what that looks like in the first place how can you navigate that in a direction where you actually want to go because you don't know what the direction is so yeah I think it's um really key to to be aware of it. And that's one of the things we obviously extol the virtues of in coaching because you get to know a lot more about yourself you know building that that self-awareness and understanding things like what your purpose are can make such just a huge huge difference to yourself and then also to the people around you.

SPEAKER_01 45:22

So yeah. And once then we've come to the end how did that happen it happens so quickly doesn't it or maybe I don't know do you feel it happens quickly when you're listening um tell us we'd love to know yeah because it feels like it goes by in a flash when we're when we're chatting um so uh but there you are that's that's brought us to the end of of the latest one of of what about living on purpose?

SPEAKER_00 45:47

So as always we'd love to know what you think as well if you've got any thoughts or reflections on what we've talked about any further tips you would add uh or just anything at all then contact us via the Facebook and Instagram pages The Renny Show Podcast and we will return next week now that we're a weekly podcast that would make sense to return next week.

SPEAKER_01 46:09

So until then be inspiring stay brilliant and we'll see you then bye for now