It is almost an eternal quest, our search for purpose. Often, business leaders feel that they need to tackle new challenges in the pursuit of professional growth and development. However, do not assume that professional growth and fulfillment means a change in employment, especially if you are content with what you do and where you are. Here are some ways to find your purpose outside of the office:

Give Your Time

A change of environment is invigorating. Here are some ideas on how to break free of a sheltered mindset and dive headlong into an outward-looking one.

  1. Volunteering. Volunteering is the medium through which so many people find real purpose in their lives. The knowledge that you are making a difference and, better still, seeing that change are rewards that pay dividends for a lifetime. Try it.
  2. Teaching. Most of us can think back to at least one teacher, even if it is from grade school, who has continued to inspire us after all these years. Why not be that inspiration for a whole new generation? Teaching is an excellent way to understand what young people are thinking, why, and how to apply it to create a better tomorrow.
  3. Mentoring. Like teaching, mentoring connects you with a generally younger audience, whose thinking and approach to work may be starkly different from yours. However, mentoring occurs in a professional environment that goes beyond theory and applies solutions in the real world. Mentor juniors in your department or extend your prowess beyond its borders where your skills and knowledge can make a difference.
  4. Nonprofit Board Position. Volunteering for a nonprofit puts you on the frontlines but a position on the board lets you have a say in its direction. A nonprofit might be better served with your leadership, insight, connections, and professional relationships than by just your elbow grease. It can also put you in eminent circles so you can magnify both the organization’s brand and your own.

Lateral Moves

Have a fascinating idea that you cannot apply at your job? Take your passion and mold it into an entirely new business.

  1. Start-Ups. There has never been a better time to begin a start-up. Investors are always on the lookout for promising ventures based on great ideas. If you have a solution that no one else does, the exciting world of start-ups is probably the most promising places to pitch it.
  2. Side Business. Many successful entrepreneurs credit their success to having the courage to step out of the regular office grind. In many cases, this courage stems from a passion or a skill that was unused or underutilized in their “real” jobs. Follow their lead and discover a purpose that aligns with your true passions.

At DeSantis Trusted Advisors, we offer guidance to our clients to help them think strategically about how they can find purpose outside of the four walls of their office. Contact us today for more advice.