PERSONAL GROWTH

FUELLED BY PURPOSE

Nothing should be impossible to you especially if it is within the realm of your calling

The times we are in require that women step-up. The systemic foundation of how women are perceived and how power is defined is being challenged. Shying away from being a leader doesn’t work anymore. However, there is still a slight existential crisis; the world we live in doesn’t prepare women to take leaps, to be risky, to be ambitious, to dream big, and to take the path towards a bigger vision in our lives.

It’s on the back of this that I founded Destiny With Purpose. In creating this platform, my thought process centred on what purpose and destiny mean for our collective future as black women. My aim was to use this platform as

Founder & CEO of Sprouting Tree Group

a springboard to creating context for healing, inspiration, influence, and impact.

DEFINING YOUR PURPOSE

If you’re anything like me, and are cool and crazy enough to want it all, yet are in that messy middle where you don’t know whether you are coming or going you need to define your purpose. Chances are you are already stuck in that state of questioning what my purpose is. Why am I here? What am I meant to be doing with my life?

My mother told me once that if

your purpose it’s similar to taking a giant big breath and holding it there for the rest of your life.

I’ve been through seasons of being stuck, under-appreciated, with a pile of self-limiting beliefs a mile high, but I realised I had to do some inner work, I had to step outside myself and critically self-assess. Purpose is innate; it is intrinsic and cannot be gained from the outside. Therefore it’s about inner conversations with self and with God. I must admit, it’s a painful, but very rewarding process because when you know your why - your purpose - you unwittingly begin to know yourself and your worth. Value is therefore an influencer of progress!

In the pursuit of purpose, always be mindful of what you want to be remembered for when your life is completed. How will people remember you? That’s how you begin the journey to your purpose.

BEING OPPORTUNITY READY

I’ve been struck by how many struggle with this ever elusive “THING” called purpose and how it is that only when you are able to define your purpose can you truly move!

Success is the progressive pursuit and fulfilment of a worthy goal. Once you know your why, you become unstoppable. Purpose gives you momentum to move from average to barrier breaking, to industry disrupter, to legacy builder. The key elements I encourage women to apply to achieve this are threefold:

1. Power - Boldness

Fear is only necessary as a

physiological need.

It exists because it keeps us from putting our hand in fire! But it’s also the very thing that stops many women entrepreneurs and leaders from asking for what they want. This includes having the boldness to negotiate salaries, to ask for promotion, to charge what they are worth in the market place, or simply saying NO to projects that are not worth their while. I also struggled with this when I first started in business.

From courage comes the ability to exercise your power. Power reveals character or the lack thereof. It has nothing to do with your corner office or bossing others around but it is the ability to command respect and radiate dignity without saying a word. Power is courage and poise under fire, uncertainty, and difficult times. It enables you to lead people to where they wouldn’t go by themselves or achieve what they wouldn’t imagine possible. Power is the privilege to speak for the voice-less.

2. Passion - Talent

Where your passion lies is usually where your purpose is. Your purpose sometimes is tied to the thing that comes or feels too easy – your gift.

You do it effortlessly! It could be writing, mentoring, mothering, leadership. A gift is something we didn’t have to work for, as such it always feels like there’s a catch. We doubt it because we believe that purpose is some unattainable ‘meant-forsomeone else’ thing, yet it is right there in your hands.

Purpose provides confidence, boosts influence, and is contagious. As humans, we gravitate towards people with direction. The truth is when you do what you are passionate about; you attract people to you, and propel success. Passion is contagious!

3. Prosperity - Monetising your zone of genius

You can only do this once you

understand what your gift is - what I like to call “your zone of genius”. When you start operating in this zone, that place where you do something SO well, you do it better than anyone else. Find that – and money will automatically come.

The “Bag Lady Syndrome”— the thought of being homeless and penniless—ranks as one of the biggest fears for women. Many ask themselves– “am I worthy?” We tend to under-sell ourselves and can’t break out of the “social, non-profit” mentality approach to business. We shy away from highlighting our accomplishments or the value we add to justify the raise. We need to embrace the fact that it’s OK to make lots of money without being apologetic about it.

This is what men get right and what attracts most funders to projects. While it’s important to do social good, let’s not forget that we are in business to make money so we can do more good.

Empowered women make significant contributions to leadership, job creation, economic growth and poverty alleviation around the world. Essentially, when women are self-sufficient there’s a positive ripple-effect on health, education and economies because of their purchasing power. Women are an economy and their empowerment should be a business case for many organisations not a “grudge purchase”.

SELF-MASTERY: THE MAGIC SAUCE

The magic sauce to these elements is discipline and consistency. Never wavering in pursuit of excellence is the mark of one who has achieved selfmastery. You can be the most creative person, gifted even, but without discipline you go nowhere fast. Sticking with it - is the magic sauce right there! There are a gazillion talented people in this world, whom we will never know, see, or experience their gift because they have not mastered the art of discipline.

PURPOSEFUL MINDSET

Failing and re-building, low selfesteem and confidence are issues I am all too familiar with. I am always seeking to encourage and motivate other women to find the confidence and clarity they need to grow, to find their purpose.

There has never been a more compelling time to commit to the process of finding your life’s purpose – the kind of work that provides your reason for being and generates fulfilment. In order to exist in the realms of barrierbreaking success your purpose should become the air you breathe.

Nothing should be impossible to you especially if it is within the realm of your calling, your assignment, your God-given gifts and passions. Never downplay the value of what you do, and if bringing yourself to the table was a person, be that person!