Purpose Without A Lineup is Useless

I was astounded to read of the innovations made by companies like Nike, Reebok and other gear companies in preparation for the Summer Olympics. They included things like:

• Replacing a shoe's heavy structural materials with support threads (think steel cables on a suspension bridge).
• Swimsuits that compress a swimmer's body at key points to reduce "form drag," making the swimmer smaller and faster.
• Zoned venting in certain athlete's outfits
• Adjustable screw in spurs that can be raised or lowered on an equestrian's boots. (It reduces about 4 pounds of weight per boot)

A call out quote on the last page of the article caught my attention. It read, "Innovation isn't helpful unless it's tied to a powerful company that drives it somewhere." A Juggling Elephants application of that quote might be Purpose isn't helpful unless it's tied to a lineup that drives it somewhere.

We can clearly identify our purpose and create all kinds of value statements or desired outcomes, but if we don't create a disciplined plan of action that carries it out, we are fooling ourselves. Nike, Reebok and other companies know that for the athletes to win using their gear, they have to expend every possible resource to help make it happen. Does your lineup reflect a desire to have some "winning moments" in the coming days?

Read the entire article in Fast Company.

Acting With Purpose Has Consequences

Tiger Woods, arguably the best golfer in the world, recently won the US Open. Not a surprise, except that he had knee surgery earlier this year and had not been cleared by his doctor to play. Tiger did not heed his doctor's advice, played in the tournament, and won... and lost. Tiger re injured his knee and will now miss the rest of the 2008 season. Mistake? No. Not if his clear purpose was to win the US Open.

One of our most passionate points in Juggling Elephants is that we must act with purpose to accomplish those things that are most important to us. We just can not get everything done and accomplish all that life offers us. We must pick and choose the most important things. The flip side of that strategy is that acting with purpose also means we will "lose" something in the pursuit of those most important things.

I talked with a business owner last week who said, "My business has not been as successful as some would say it could have been over the years, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice more time away from my family. I'm happy with how things have turned out." Again, acting with purpose has rewards-and consequences.

What about you? If you acted with purpose more often, what would you gain? And what would you lose? And would the win be worth the loss?

Quote About Purpose

It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?

-Henry David Thoreau

When your circus seems out of control, ask yourself: "Do ALL these acts contribute to accomplishing my purpose-or have they been added to my lineup due to convenience, procrastination or simply the inability to say 'No?'"

Write Your Eulogy

One of my favorite songs is Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw. You can click here for the lyrics. It helps me clarify my lineup when I'm trying to juggle elephants (yes, I still try from time to time).

It might be morbid but why not begin with the ultimate end in mind and write your own eulogy. What do you want to be remembered for? What do you want said and written about you? What accomplishments do you want to have achieved? Lay it out in detail. Review it on a regular basis and don't be afraid to edit, delete and add to it.

Meeting ALL The Needs Of The Performers

In the Time Magazine article, "Fine Fast Food", Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle Mexican Grill tells the story of his success. It's a great read about staying true to your purpose and always striving to improve.

The most telling quote about his success, to me, came near the end of the article. Ells writes, That's why we have been so successful. They [customers] have finally found a fast-food restaurant that has respect-for them, for their taste buds, for their sense of aesthetics, for service, for its employees and for its suppliers.

It's easy to discount some of the needs of the performers in our circus, whether it's at work or home. It takes a tremendous effort on our part and often sacrifice of some of our own needs-for a period of time to keep others fully engaged. As Ells shows in his article, however, the work can lead to a fantastic payoff for everyone. Ole'!