Tag Archive for: Purpose

Retreat and Recover

In my studies through the years, I find it fascinating that the leaders of three of the world’s great religions have one thing in common…
They understood the importance of stepping back from the world for personal reflection and renewal.
In ancient times, spiritual leaders sought refuge in nature or isolated spaces, understanding that it was in these quiet moments that clarity of purpose and direction emerged.
For example, the Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree in northern India (the place of enlightenment) would form the foundation of Buddhism.
In the Quran, there are numerous accounts of the Prophet Muhammad receiving revelations and instruction from the Angel Gabriel in the cave of Hira, which shaped the world of Islam.
Jesus Christ often retreated from his followers into the wilderness to meditate and pray, helping him connect with deity in order to establish Christianity.
Each of them reminds us of the importance of stepping back from the world to take some time to reflect and recover.
Modern leaders can take inspiration from these examples by carving out time for reflection, not only to recharge physically but also to reassess their leadership and the broader impact of their decisions.
Whether in politics, business, or social organisations, leaders face constant pressures to perform, make decisions, and address challenges swiftly and effectively.

Torryburn

My experience on Saturday was a simple mini example of this, taking some uninterrupted time to be alone or in this case sharing it with someone special.
Monic and I took a 2 hour long walk along the seashore, borrowing my sister’s dog Fern.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time of rejuvenation, foraging for brambles along the way and taking time to pause, reflect, talk and recover.
In our fast-paced, hyper-connected world of today, the notion of retreating for renewal has in recent years, gained a renewed relevance, especially for leaders.
A retreat, whether it’s time spent in nature or engaging in deep meditation, offers a space to disconnect from noise and reconnect with oneself, which in turn fosters sharper judgment and greater creativity.
Regularly tending to the emotional, physical, spiritual and mental aspects of our lives keeps us in a well-resourced state.
I know that most of my innovative ideas come not from being in the middle of the action but from stepping back, in moments of solitude and reflection.
Just as spiritual figures like Buddha, Muhammad, and Christ found profound insights in times of isolation, you and I along with today’s leaders can benefit greatly from stepping away from daily responsibilities to recharge, reflect, and renew our sense of purpose.
Everyone needs to unplug, refocus, retreat and reboot sometimes.
Go on – make that time to retreat today….
You know you need to.

Empowerment

Yesterday, we met in our six-weekly Mission Leadership Council (MLC).
It’s a time when members of the Mission Presidency, the Assistants, Zone Leaders, Sister Trainer Leaders, Social Media Leaders and Service Leaders come together to counsel with one another.
The result, a very busy mission home!
After we welcomed a few new members of the MLC, we dived straight into the business of the day and began by asking a few questions for consideration.

To council

From the outset we encouraged free expression.
We counselled together as a group about many aspects of our work.
Then we counselled together in pairs.
We listened.
We listened a lot.
Sometimes, we were silent too, so we could listen.
We reflected upon many of our successes and removed assumptions that were limiting our thinking, so we could do better.
We then counselled on some of the challenges and obstacles that are in our way as a mission.
We ate together, laughed together, and received further instruction together.
And we considered the four P’s of Leadership – Purpose, Proactivity, Passion and Persistence.
Missions are very dynamic, as missionaries come and go every six weeks.
I have learned that patience is needed as we practice this council system over and over again!

What is empowerment?

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: authority or power given to someone to do something.
All of our activities and counselling yesterday were about empowering each member of the MLC to step up and lead by example.
There was encouragement to:
• Learn and embrace change.
• Push through obstacles and barriers.
• How they can be more productive.
• Step up and go above and beyond.
• Govern themselves, through autonomous decision making.
• Be closer to and more aligned with their purpose.
Being with these leaders yesterday reminded me that they are amongst some of the greatest young people on the earth today.
It is an honour and a joy to work with them every day.
How can you empower others to lead?

Councils

I was excited to receive the picture attached from my dear friend, Eelco Scheltinga, who serves as President of the Den Haag Stake (diocese).

He and I meet regularly to discuss all aspects of missionary work in his stewardship.

In addition, he also meets regularly (like the other Stake Presidents – Angelo Leman, Percy de Wilde and Jerry Bletterman) with his Zone Leaders (ZL’s) and Sister Trainer Leaders (STL’s), who are assigned to work with many missionaries in other wards & branches.

These 5 missionaries are an essential part of the leadership team in his Stake.

I love the fact that he is sitting with them at home, around his dinner table, welcoming them with warmth, love and understanding.

In addition, it’s clear from their smiles, they enjoy meeting with one another!

“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20)

Missionary Council

Meeting together as a missionary council, with purpose, in a spirit of warm-hearted cooperation, they listen to one another, discuss concerns, make plans, set goals and search for solutions to the problems of the day.

Working through councils is a very effective way to get positive results.

Having sat in many councils, I know that when free, open and candid conversation is filled with love, patience, kindness and respect for the differing opinions and points of view that are usually on hand, the council is always a success.

Sparks of inspiration come, and decisions are made to plan and coordinate missionary work.

Scriptures

In the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah said; “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18).

And in our day, we read in Doctrine & Covenants 50:10; “Let us reason together, that ye may understand.”

I know that it is by reasoning together, that we strengthen one another.

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”  (Proverbs 11:14)

It is clear the council system across our mission is alive and well, it is fully functioning and filled with vibrancy and enthusiasm, thus ensuring safety for each and every one of us.

M. Russell Ballard said those who learn to counsel effectively will “always end up with a better result, always end up with a better answer and, will always end up with a better spirit.”

How can counselling together bless you and your family?

Shared Purpose

Purpose is good.
The pursuit of purpose is better.
𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 is best.
Meaning, everyone is aligned to the same mission.
They are a part of something.
They belong.
They have a collective responsibility.
They influence.
They radiate positive energy.
They engage.
They boldly go and do.
There is drive.
There is alignment.
And a collective sense of belonging.
It’s a connective force that pulls a mission together.
It touches us and moves us into action.
It creates a sense of excitement.
It’s compelling.
It drives collaboration.
It’s about living it – together!
It is the glue that strengthens our mission.
It is the common thread woven amongst each of them.
Our 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 is grand, prodigious, and vast!
It’s life changing…
“Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end”.
This is the 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 of every missionary serving around the world for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We live by it.
We invite all to understand the purpose of life.
Come join with us.

People May Wonder

– What is the purpose of life?
– Where did I come from?
– Is there a God who cares about me?
– How can I feel that He cares?
– How can I believe in God when so many bad things happen?
– Why is life so hard sometimes?
– How can I find strength during these times?
– How can I become a better person?
– What happens after I die?
𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅?
All of these questions and more are answered in the second lesson taught by our missionaries in “Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation”
Why not speak to one of the many missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, today.
Answers are only a conversation away.

Change Your Life

Earlier this week at FSY, I used one of my favourite icebreaker activities; “A conversation with a time traveller”.
It goes something like this…
In pairs, one participant plays someone from the early 1600’s and gets into character/mindset.
The other participant selects a modern-day object/something from our day and explains it to the individual posing as someone from the 1600’s.
I suggest they try and explain any of the following:
– A carry out pizza
– A Smartphone
– The Cinema
– Disneyland
– Netflix
As participants get into character, the results are always fun and insightful.
Participants switch roles and repeat.
There were lot of smiles, laughter, and bewildered faces on show.
Followed by a realisation that times, things, and people have 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 – substantially!
There is nothing so unchanging, so inevitable as change itself.
Everything around us seems to be changing at an accelerated pace.
Most changes in the world seem beyond our control.
Yet, you can 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞.

You can change your life…

Each of us have the power to change our lives.
“Every effort to change we make—no matter how tiny it seems to us—just might make the biggest difference in our lives.” – Michael A. Dunn
You can be a little better.
You can stand a little taller.
You can love a little deeper.
You can pick a different path.
You can walk a different walk.
You can find forgiveness.
And joy.
You can become your best you.
Because He gave His life, you can change yours.
I have experienced change first-hand through the actions I’ve taken.
As I have relied on Jesus Christ, He has helped bring true joy into my life.
He can and will for you too.

Aligned

Over the course of the last 10 days, I have met face to face with each of the Stake Presidents serving in Belgium and the Netherlands.
I’ve travelled from the most southerly, to the most northerly part of the mission, meeting…
Angelo Leman in Gent
Eelco Scheltinga in Den Haag
and Jerry Bletterman in Groningen
What is the role of a Stake President?
A stake president is the lay leader of a stake, which is a geographic subdivision similar to a Catholic diocese. A stake president is a man who is asked to serve as a volunteer in this position. He oversees Church programmes in a defined geographic area composed of individual congregations called wards and is responsible to help the members of his stake in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ. He also oversees the activities of the bishops or ward leaders, counselling them as needed.
As I met with each of them, I discovered something.
Frequently, in our discussions together, we used the word 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒅, or 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕.
𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝: “supporting or agreeing with another person, to match behaviours, thoughts or views, harmonize the aims or practices”
It was a marvel.
Whilst living here, in two countries where bicycles are everywhere, I’ve learned the importance of wheel alignment.
To keep your bike running smoothly, truing a wheel involves tightening and adjusting spokes from time to time to keep your wheels aligned.
Similarly meeting together from time to time with each Stake President, ensures that we are in full alignment.

Staying aligned

We are spiritually aligned through our faith in God, our testimonies of the truth, plus the knowledge and wisdom that each of us have gathered, as we study the holy scriptures and follow living prophets.
Quentin L. Cook recently said “Our Heavenly Father’s plan for safely gathering His children to our heavenly home is not based on worldly success, economic status, education, race, or gender. Father’s plan is based on righteousness, keeping His commandments, and receiving sacred ordinances and honouring the covenants we make.”
I love these men.
They have become true friends.
I feel united and aligned with each of them as together, we boldly declare the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and invite all to come unto Him.

Nuts and Bolts

The phrase “nuts and bolts” means all the basic components, the fundamentals, no matter how big or small, that are part of the essentials to complete a task or activity.
In essence – nuts and bolts hold everything together.
The phrase has been running through my head for a while.
The nuts and bolts of missionary work are the basic components, the fundamentals, the essentials to complete our tasks.
A couple of weeks ago, at Zone Conferences (when upwards of 50 – 60 missionaries come together once a transfer for instruction) I spoke specifically on four of the fundamental principles of missionary work – the core nuts and bolts, if you will.
Each missionary was issued with a bolt and 4 nuts, to make the analogy feel real.
The bolt – represented themselves.
Each nut represented a core principle.

Core Principles

1 – 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝑴𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒍 – 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. Since its publication, like many of the missionaries I have enjoyed my daily study in Preach My Gospel. President Russell M. Nelson said ““Our charge is much more than just inviting people to join the Church. We want each one to become a fully truly converted disciple of Jesus Christ and to follow Him, now and forever”.
2 – 𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔, 𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏. Marcus B. Nash said “The mandate for each missionary to search the scriptures is clear and unequivocal, for searching the scriptures brings to them the power of God. It does the same for anyone regardless of their age and experience.”
3 – 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒔. It’s important that we follow the right voice in a world full of wrong voices. That right voice is God’s voice, and He speaks to us through His living prophets and apostles.
4 – 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝑮𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the privilege – given to people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, been baptized, and been confirmed as members of the Church. He will guide, teach and comfort us.

Actions

After explaining each principle and the ensuing discussion, each missionary tightly fastened their nuts and bolt together.
As the nuts tightened, thread by thread, symbolically each missionary was strengthening and securing themselves to Jesus Christ, as each core principle was riveted into their mind through their actions.
I know that true joy comes through our daily actions of study, pondering, reflection and prayer, as we fasten ourselves, thread by thread to Jesus Christ.
The world is changing whether you like it or not.  Are you?
How can you fasten yourself to Jesus Christ?

The Power of Purpose

“I’m exhausted!” – is a phrase I hear regularly.

Do you feel like you are sometimes swimming upstream?

At times, all of us can find ourselves physically and emotionally depleted as we resolutely seek to meet the demands of our daily routines.

Recently, I came across a quote from poet and philosopher David Whyte, which really made me stop and think.

David states that there is a potent remedy to exhaustion – and it isn’t taking a nap.

He stated… “The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness”.

Wholehearted…

  • completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic, marked by complete earnest commitment: free from all reserve or hesitation.

Years ago, I worked with a consultancy who focused a lot of their thinking on being a whole leader, using our head, our heart, and our gut. I learned that when they are all aligned in complete harmony, we feel more committed and invigorated to do our very best work.

What strikes me about being surrounded by 130 missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is that they really believe in what they do, they truly embody their purpose, “To invite others to come unto Christ”.  They are purpose led. It unifies them all.

Each of them knows their purpose, are aligned with it, and can articulate it clearly and simply.

The Bigger Picture

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy visited NASA for the first time. During his tour of the facility, he met a janitor who was carrying a broom down the corridor. The President then casually asked the janitor what he did for NASA, and the janitor replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”

Think about that for a moment.

To many, the janitor was simply cleaning the building.

But, in the bigger picture, the janitor ensured that the building was clean, so that NASA engineers, scientists and astronauts could focus on their purpose and put a man on the moon.  He connected his purpose with theirs.

When we lack purpose, we become drained and disengaged.

Quite the opposite is true when we wholeheartedly engage with the power and sense of a greater purpose.

It stirs us into action to achieve a greater cause, experiencing a revived sense of energy and in turn we discover greater meaning.

By focussing wholeheartedly on their purpose, our missionaries have truly found themselves.

Are you lacking purpose?  Then missionaries can help!

𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐣𝐨?

Years ago, in one of my many coaching conversations, I worked with a senior leader in an organisation who highly valued his professionalism. (To protect his identity, I’ll call him Max).
Max had a great track record with the organisation.
In my first meeting with Max, I noticed something.
In fact, I observed a lot.
His whole body told me that he was lost and really didn’t want to be there.
He’d lost his purpose; his meaning and the organisation had become a frustration for him.
Max had lost his 𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒐.
Mojo; meaning – influence, confidence or personal charisma.
His spirit had shrunk and was sagging.
His body was downtrodden and browbeaten.
His eyes looked jaded and dulled.
His sparkle had long since disappeared.
He was lost.
I felt sad.

Coaching

As his coach, I worked with Max for several months.
Initially, our coaching conversations were more about others in his team and the organisation.
But then the sessions turned towards Max.
We embarked upon an intensive and deep journey together.
We searched long and hard to find answers.
During those profound listening sessions, Max began to find his purpose and meaning.
In those months, he reconnected with himself.
He slowed down.
With a little help and lots of self-reflection a new door had opened.
His search was over.
He discovered a new purpose, much bigger, yet simpler, that filled his entire being.
He’d tuned into himself.
He found the courage to step into his unique calling.
He found his mojo.
Now from a distance, I watch Max shine.
How have you reclaimed your mojo in life?