Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else,” which was his typically Berra way of sharing the common wisdom, “Knowing where you are going is the first step to getting there.”
Whether it’s a trip, a project, or your life, if you don’t
take the time and energy to think about where you want to end up, you will
literally be aimless—aiming at nothing. As Ben Franklin pointed out, this comes
with consequence: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
This reality is understood in most businesses and organizations, which must be able to articulate what they plan to accomplish—and why it’s important—to get the financial and other resources they need to get started and sustain themselves. Without getting into the weeds, this articulation includes
•
A Mission Statement, declaring the values,
priorities, and overall contribution. A good example that is shorter than most
is offered by Khan Academy: “Our mission is to provide free, world-class
education to anyone, anywhere”
•
Goals, stating things that must be accomplished
to deliver the mission, and
•
Plans, strategies, and/or actions, stating how
the goals will be accomplished
A common step in the process of creating this “strategic plan” is going through something called a SWOT Analysis, in which the organization reflects on
•
Strengths
within the organization that can contribute to success
•
Weaknesses
within the organization that could hinder success
•
Opportunities
from outside that could contribute to the success of the organization
• Threats from outside that could hinder the success of the organization
The SWOT Analysis helps identify
goals that are necessary to accomplish the mission, as well as plans,
strategies, and/or actions necessary to accomplish the goals.
These tools can be used by individuals and families to bring focus, purpose, and meaning to their lives. The value of this cannot be overstated: a wide range of research suggests that the so called, “crisis of purpose” currently being experienced in societies around the world is driving substance abuse, suicide, and many other health, economic, and societal ills.
I tend away from such statements, but I think it possible that the current
crisis of purpose, which research suggests is born of uncertainty, lack of
trust, and loss of meaning, is about to be pushed farther than it’s ever been
by developments in Artificial Intelligence and robotics, which are changing the
need for and nature of work. In 1900, more than 40% of the US workforce was
employed in agriculture, but technological advances offered efficiencies that
allowed that number to drop below 2% by 2000. The societal impact of that
transition is recounted in vast research, but also in literature (e.g. “The
Grapes of Wrath”), film (e.g. “Places in the Heart” and “Country”), and other
creative works, as people lost their farms, their identities, and their
purpose.
Without seeming alarmist, it is likely that many or all
industries are in the midst of such transitions, as a result of advancements in
AI and robotics—but instead of happening over a century, they will happen over
a few years or decades. Workers leaving farms in the 20th century eventually
found jobs in other industries—long-term overall unemployment remains around
5%—but transitions can take a toll if they cause us to lose identity and
purpose. Agent Smith may have overstated it when he said to Neo (in The Matrix Reloaded), “without purpose,
we would not exist,” but purpose is vital to each of us. In the same scene, the
Oracle also shared, “We’re all here to do what we’re all here to do.” The
challenge is in figuring out what that is in a changing world.
Purpose gives life meaning and meaning gives life purpose.
Realizing and focusing on that will change your life. In the chapter on Faith I
suggest a source of meaning and purpose for your life.
Related to that, there are many books on helping you
discover your purpose, but one that millions have found useful is Rick Warren’s
The Purpose Driven Life. I know I
have suggested a lifetime of reading, but I believe, after the Bible, Warren’s
book should be a priority. It contains readings that take you through a process
for 40 days and really can help you discover or rediscover your purpose.
Michael Phelps, who struggled with his identity as a person away from swimming
to the point of alcohol abuse and suicidal thoughts, credits the book with
saving his life.
So, while it may seem strange to apply the principles of
strategic planning to our lives, I believe it is always valuable—and that it is
vital in our current world. Taking time to consider your values, priorities,
and overall contributions you hope to make—your mission statement—will allow
you to stay focused on what you want your life to be about. Drafting
goals—which will change over time as you and the world change—will help you
understand what you need to do to accomplish your mission. Identifying plans,
strategies, and actions necessary to accomplish your goals will identify work
you need to do every day to accomplish your goals and mission. Doing a candid
SWOT analysis will help you understand realities in yourself and the world that
can help or hinder your progress. Things will change and you will need to
adapt, but planning will help you understand and focus on your purpose.
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