Leading With Purpose: Finding Your Passion And Making A Positive Impact

The past has taught us that a leader who is passionate about a cause or purpose can make a real difference in the world.

To become a great leader you first need to find your passion, i.e. a drive to stoke your inner fire and propel you forward.

That passion should be something that fills you with a sense of joy, purpose and eventually drives you to gather the resources and skills to make a positive impact in whatever field you work in.

In short, you become a thought leader, i.e. someone who has knowledge, authority, and influence in your chosen domain, and the ability to lead an industry forward toward positive changes through initiatives and innovations

So finding that 'drive' is important, but how to find it and make the most out of it? To know the answer to this and more, keep reading

How To Find Your Passion?

It isn't hard to find what you're passionate about. But it is a good idea to use a guideline like the ones below to help you learn what matters to you.

1. Identify Your Strengths

To lead with purpose, you must first understand what you're good at. Ask yourself, “What am I great at?” Think of the things that you excel in and have a knack for.

Suppose you have some amazing writing skills and sales skills too. Then you can learn to become a writer, specifically one who can build funnels, write advertising copy, book reviews, or anything else that merges your strengths.

And eventually, you might start writing for a cause you believe in and lead hundred toward making a positive change.

2. Explore Your Interests

Once you have identified your strengths, spend some time exploring areas and activities that truly interest you. Are you an animal lover?

Or really like researching and digging up the facts? Then you might explore journalism and may even become a renowned journalist with the ability to make the world listen to your voice.

Like this, you can explore many such domains that interest you and eventually find a course where you can lead with purpose. And not only that, it'll be likely that you become accomplished because passion is the fuel for excellence.

3. Take Help From People Around You

Sometimes the people around us know more about us than we do.

Your family, friends, and people who have known you for a long or see you frequently can, at times, spot things that you have not even realized about yourself.

For instance, a remark like, 'You have great communication skills; maybe you should explore being a speaker or a trainer' from one of your close friends can be the spark that ignites the fire within.

So pay heed to their remarks or go ahead and ask them about their perspectives. And use the information you get from yourself and various sources like your family to identify areas where you'd be great as a leader.

How to Lead With Purpose

What does it mean, in practical terms, to lead with purpose and meaning? Check out these suggestions:

1. Picture The Change And Make A Plan

Once you have figured out what drives you, it is time to make a plan.

Visualize the change that you want to make in your industry, company, or world and brainstorm ideas on how to achieve it.

And to be a leader the leads by example, you need to have plans which will show others how to make a difference and inspire them. And starting with a visual is critical to give your direction.

It's always best to real with yourself when you want to make change. You get one life and it's important to live the way you want or at least try to do so. It can be as simple or elaborate as you like. You may want to plan to give back to your community or plan to build an online business. Whatever you choose, be specific and don't worry about how you'll accomplish these goals.

2. Be A Mentor

Leaders are not just bosses; they are also mentors who help their followers grow and reach even greater heights in their careers and personal lives. And you'll come across people who share your passions.

For example, you may be a business owner or just a peer who sees that your team needs help.

Whatever the situation, mentor others in small ways. You could help your intern or junior associate boost their communication, negotiating and managing deals, or marketing skills. Or you could just inspire them with new ideas.

If you ever come across a person who's chasing the same dreams as you, be sure to fuel their fire. And don't forget to join online communities to learn. Doing so will give you the chance to help others and also grow your skills and personal brand.

3. Be Persistent

People look up to those who inspire and keep going forward in the face of all odds.

Stick with your passion and don't give up, no matter what comes your way. Don’t hesitate to take risks but be wise enough to identify the ones you should take and the ones that will be better left alone.

If you do get setbacks, then you should be willing to learn from them and use what you've picked up to inform how you'll move forward. The key is to stick to something to be good at it.

It's the cumulation of time and experience that makes you inspiring as a leader and shows followers that you have what it takes to last. Whether you're a leader in your place of worship, your kids' school, a business, or someplace else, keep trying. And don't be afraid to ask for help and keep learning too.

Such an indomitable approach will inspire others and make them realize that if you can do it, they can too.

Grow as a Leader

Leading with purpose is all about making a difference. It is about being a leader that inspires others and helps them grow.

But to be able to lead like that you must first understand and realize where your interest lies and then establish yourself as an expert in that domain.

And once you have achieved this, let your actions and decisions be an example for others to follow.