For the past almost 4 years, I have been facilitating the bonus session for our Vision 20/20 program on Exploring The Deeper Meaning of Purpose. (https://vision.happystartups.co)
Together with Dr. Carlos Saba and Laurence McCahill, we have been holding space for founders and leaders in diving deeper into their purpose for more than three years now.
With more than 100 people going through the program, I am still amazed and fulfilled each time I hear how the session has been magical and eye opening for them.
What is purpose anyway?
And how did we get to define it?
Who supported us in sharing our perceptions and thoughts around it?
In the session we started with what we associate with purpose. Words and images that are evoked when we hear the word “Purpose”. I then proceeded to ask them “where do you feel purpose in their body?” This also gathered very interesting and different responses similar to the associations and imagery they shared.
Peeling the layer one by one, the participants had time to explore a memory of purpose that they had as a child. Not only did allowing the journaling support them in their inquiry. They also had the chance to share what came up for them in a paired break-out. Allowing them to share, be witnessed, and witness someone else in their stories.
What followed was the gradual “peeling of the onion” as I then encouraged them to think of a memory from their immediate family followed by their culture, religion or society they grew up in and what these memories have taught them about purpose.
How did the lived experiences of our ancestors teach us about purpose?
The reflection questions not only begin with tapping into a memory, it also ended with reconnecting it in the body- “where did that memory feel in your body?”
The sharing and insights that followed each layer were so rich. There were pains, frustrations, and further questions shared.
Yet what the space allowed was an initial inquiry. A place to start peeling and gradually making sense of how our definitions of purpose are tied up to intergenerational and cultural experiences.
Curious to explore this with yourself, your team, your partners? Below are the prompts that can guide you in facilitating this session with them. I have expanded the slides to fit in a 2 hour session.
If you want to add this for your retreat or your team activity, feel free to do so. I am sharing this as I have for the past 8 cohorts now in the Vision 20/20program seen first hand how transformative such an inquiry can be.
And if you want for it to be facilitated by me, send a message so we can explore possibilities.
Contents: PDF with 31 slides