Once in a while, seemingly by-chance, you get invited to think with others. Personally, I love exploring possibilities with friends or colleagues that meet you on common ground, each coming with their own perspective. Listening to someone else's thinking stretches your mind. It makes you re-evaluate your values, perception and experience ---- taking stock of how you've grown, what you've learned and how much you still have to learn. Recently, I had one of those opportunities. It came unexpectedly with a friend introducing another person's important work. After a round of listening, thinking, questioning and sharing, it was hard to walk away without being enriched, so I thought I would share some meaningful excerpts you may find beneficial.
The TOPIC up for discussion:
DISCOVERING DEEPER MEANING IN LIFE AND WORK
Other Contributors:
Alex Pattakos, Ph.D., Center for Meaning --- The Meaning Difference Blog
Christopher G. Kenny, Partner, Star GROUP LLC --- Profits and Purpose Blog
Theresa M. Szczurek, Ph.D., TMS Marketing --- Pursuit of Passionate Purpose
NOTE: Chris introduced us to Theresa's work; so she was not really part of the exchange, but gave us a common reference point that made us all think and share.
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MEANING FROM SEVERAL POINTS OF VIEW:
**** Increasing Top-Line Revenue the Easy Way
From Theresa Szczurek's newsletter shared by Chris Kenny
"...Theresa Szczurek seems tuned in to the concept of finding a deeper meaning (she uses the term "purpose") in life and in work..."
"...I heard a shocking statistic yesterday in a presentation by Scott McKain. His research shows that only 6% of customers who are satisfied or very satisfied actually return!"
"...Customers buy more when there is a deep, caring relationship with the buyer. Remember from the "Connections Strategy" chapter in Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, people find meaning in life from connections. Meaning is a key ingredient in creating passion — intense enthusiasm, devotion, or liking. YES! That is what you want your customers to be — passionate about your products and services, passionate about doing business with you. "
**** There is meaning in life, in every life, all the time
Insights about meaning shared from Dr. Alex Pattakos
"...one of the basic foundations of Viktor Frankl's logotheory and of my work--'there is meaning in life, in every life, all of the time.' This is the case whether we have (or even can see) a 'passionate purpose' or not, let alone "pursue" one."
"...my "meaning ministry" is dedicated to ensuring that even those people who have not "found" their purpose in life, recognize that there is a seed of meaning in every moment--even the "bad" ones--of their lives. Moreover, they have a personal responsibility to discover for themselves what each seed of meaning contains, as well as to learn and grow from this self-discovery process.
In addition, let me leave you with a very, very profound quote from Viktor Frankl that appears at the beginning of Chapter 10 of my book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts:
'Don't aim at success--the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success; you have to let it happen by not caring about it.' [Emphasis Added]"
**** Meaning is the heart of the highest levels of excellence
Insights on meaning shared by Debbe Kennedy
When I was very young, my big brother (a passionate, successful scientist who values meaning) taught me that "Excellence speaks for itself." This was later drilled into me in my years with IBM as you've heard me mention. What I've realized since is that meaning is the heart of the highest levels of excellence. In fact, it has been my experience that finding meaning in every moment of any undertaking, takes EXCELLENCE to new heights, sometimes that even surprise YOU... and when you make it your own brand, it opens doors, it distinguishes your work, and it gives a passionate purpose and meaning to going the extra mile to achieve meaning-filled excellence, even when the world may, in the process, label the small details as mundane, the tedious tasks as unnecessary. As Viktor Frankl says, '...then you will live to see that in the long run---in the long run, I say!---success will follow...'
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this most important topic and in letting me know that my Pursuit of Passionate Purpose work is helpful to you. It is worthwhile to have each other, in our blogs and newsletters, as Progress Pals who ask if we really are living the meaningful life we can.
Check out my blog also, at www.RadishSprouts.typepad.com
All the best,
Theresa Szczurek
Posted by: Theresa M. Szczurek | August 19, 2008 at 03:02 PM