PURPOSEFUL HUSTLE BLOG

Living within your purpose is a discipline that requires practice, working out certain muscles, and developing certain skill sets. Here are 10 skills to focus on while pursuing a Purposeful Hustle:

1. Self-reflection - The Purposeful Hustler knows that if they don’t stay vigilant about who they are, how they are showing up in the world, and what impact they are or aren’t making, they cannot be on top of their game. They recognize that it is in the moments of reflection that they can piece things together to either build on their successes or learn from their failures. Too often we are on the treadmill of life and do not give ourselves this free and precious gift. Of all the skills a Purposeful Hustler must have, reflection is critical. You cannot gain clarity of purpose without (1) making time for reflection and (2) asking the right questions.

2. Asking good questions - Whether to yourself, to those in your innermost circle, to your network, or to strangers, it is essential to be able to ask good questions to find and remain connected to your purpose. Purposeful Hustlers work on building out their question asking muscles, checking in with themselves and looking for insight from others. Some good questions to ask often are: what are my passions? How have my experiences uniquely positioned me for impact? If someone close to me was asked what my purpose is, would they be able to answer accurately based on how I live my life? What brings me joy? What keeps me up at night? Who do I look up to?

3. Empathy - In order to live into a purpose that is bigger than selfish desires, it’s necessary to relate to others. This requires developing the ability to empathize with other people.

4. Intentionality - Purposeful Hustlers are able to make an impact even if they don’t have all the time or money in the world because they are intentional about how they spend their time, what they do and how they create change. To live with a greater sense of purpose, it is important to have intention behind most, if not all, decisions you make. Similar to purpose, intention requires reflecting on and being able to account for the WHY of what you’re doing. When you’re more thoughtful about how you spend your time, it can have more significance.

5. Critical analysis - When trying to live into your purpose, it’s essential to be able to look at the world and the systems around you and to analyze where your place is within these systems. Educating yourself on the nuances of the issues and places you feel called to work in will allow you to more effectively and ethically live within your purpose.

6. Risk taking - A Purposeful Hustle is not easy work. Being your best, most purpose-filled self is hard, and it requires the ability to take leaps of faith, put yourself out there, try new things, and not be afraid to fail. Practicing choosing the more challenging route in the name of a bigger calling is something we can do every day to draw us closer to purpose.

7. Starting again - When Purposeful Hustlers encounter obstacles or pushback after taking risks, or if things don’t work out after trying something new, they have to be able to get back up and try again. Knowing how to show up on hard days and make moves even after a failure that may feel humiliating or frustrating is a necessary muscle for a Purposeful Hustler.

8. Communication - Living in your purpose requires your ability to boldly state what you dream about, both to yourself and to others as an invitation for them to join in your purpose-filled work. Being able to effectively articulate your purpose, your goals, and your needs for support are essential to your success and your ability to stay on track in pursuit of your purpose. A clearly communicated vision makes others want to participate in making it a reality.

9. Saying thank you - Staying true to your purpose in the face of life’s distractions and outside influences can be difficult. Noticing and recognizing the victories, assets, allies and abundance around you and expressing your gratitude frequently can help you stay inspired, motivated, and sustainable in your Purposeful Hustle. Saying thank you, both internally and externally is an important skill that is often overlooked in the grit and grind of this work!

10. Self-care - Similarly neglected but perhaps even more crucial, knowing how to take care of yourself is absolutely necessary for you to be able to live out the fullest sense of yourself and your purpose. By paying attention and tending to your needs and wellbeing so you can sustainably and deeply engage in the purpose-related work that you care about, you avoid the burn out that leads to a lost sense of purpose.

What other skills have you found necessary to live within your purpose?