PURPOSEFUL HUSTLE BLOG

I want to talk about the biggest time suckers: meetings. I feel like there was a time in my life where all I did was go to meetings, meetings, and more meetings. I struggled to figure out when I could do my actual work.

Leaders are not made because of parking spot signs, titles, paychecks, age or even experience. I have found that people who are living their Purposeful Hustle are leaders. When you are so passionate about making a positive change in the world and are taking steps to make it happen, that kind of energy is contagious.

Over time — in my own experience and through others’ stories that they’ve shared with me — I’ve realized that it’s much easier to be excited about the potential results of our actions than it is to feel excited about the process required to make them happen. A lot of times, the process is actually really scary.

Today’s post is lifted from a 2015 speech I gave in 2015 to Pearls for Teen Girls, a Milwaukee-based organization that empowers young women with self-development tools, guidance, and support to strive for better futures. Frankly, I hadn’t thought about the speech until a few weeks ago when I ran into an awesome woman that was in the audience. She saw the talk and a part of it resonated with her so much she saved it on her phone and showed it to me nearly four years later! Talk about full circle!

Most things worth doing involve some kind of risk. Especially when we pursue projects that we care deeply about, it can feel a little scary to put ourselves out there like that. It is not unusual for Purposeful Hustlers to find themselves going against the grain to make a positive impact, but that doesn’t make it easy. Acting unconventionally can stir up self-doubt and attract the attention of others, not always in a good way. Many of the people who may question or express doubt don’t mean to do harm, but that doesn’t mean that their criticism is always productive.

If living out one’s purpose was easy, everyone would be doing it. But it is not easy. Even if you know what your purpose is, you might not know how to live in that purpose. It may feel like there are a lot of obstacles in the way of the difference you want to make. That is where hustle comes into play. Purpose is WHY you do something. Hustle is HOW you get it done. So, you’ve gotten to the point where you can name your purpose. You know what lights you up, and have pieced together how your unique passions, skills and experiences can be channeled to have the most positive impact on the world, but how do you pull it off?

When considering what your unique purpose is in the world, it’s essential to reach into your roots. Only YOU have lived YOUR story. Where you have come from has made you who you are, and in many ways, has positioned you to pursue a purpose that is meant for you. Before you look forward boldly into your Purposeful Hustle, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to look back. You may be surprised what you learn about yourself that helps you articulate what you think your purpose is. You may realize you have special skill sets or insights that have specifically prepared you to make the impact you want to have in the world.

So you think you’ve found your purpose? That’s awesome! Purpose is truly a gift, but the only way to know if you are on the right path for YOU is to test it out.

Networking can be fun. There, I said it. I’m that person who’s trying to convince you that networking isn’t totally awful. But really, if you take a new approach, something that is inevitable can actually become enjoyable.

In order to pursue our purpose as fully as possible, we need to build our community of people who help us grow and encourage us to hustle. We have so much to learn from each other that can take our work to the next level!