7 Characteristics of People with a Strong Sense of Purpose

Daniel Pink wrote about purpose in his best-seller, Drive. He said there are three things that motivate creative people—autonomy, mastery, and purpose. If we want to create a highly motivating environment in our schools, that also values creativity, it won't happen by control and compliance or rewards and punishments. 

It will only happen when we provide opportunities for meaningful work, both for teachers and students. We should always be concerned with cultivating meaningful work.

A sense of purpose gives the work relevance. I wonder what most kids think about the purpose for coming to school. It's mandatory. It's required. It's how I can get into college and get a good job someday. My parents make me. It's important to my parents. At least I see my friends there. The purpose is to get good grades, perhaps? It's something to be endured. Yikes!

I wonder what would happen if we really focused on helping students find deeper meaning and purpose in their school experience? What if we intentionally helped students find purpose and meaning in learning? Why isn't that a class we offer? Actually it should be part of every class. Sometimes I think the most important things are completely overlooked.

If school elicited a stronger sense of purpose, what benefits would we see? Here are 7 characteristics of people with purpose. I'm sure there are high-purpose people in your school. I just think we need more of them for sure.

1. High purpose people are willing to take more risks.

They will step out of their comfort zone to move forward because they have a reason to be bold. They know their why. They see the importance of what they're doing and want to make a difference. Ultimately, risk takers learn more because they don't retreat from challenges.

2. They're open to new possibilities.

Most people see problems. And they want conventional solutions. But people with purpose see possibilities. They don't let problems hold them back. When some people see challenges and obstacles, people with purpose look for opportunities to move forward and learn and grow. 

3. They have more energy and emotion about what they're doing.

People with high purpose have passion for what they're doing. They are deeply committed. They are intellectually connected to what they're doing, but they're also emotionally connected. They also feel it. They feel passion for their purpose.

4. They have no time for petty disputes or social drama.

Ever wonder how people can get distracted by petty disputes or social drama? It's lack of purpose. People who are mission focused won't allow themselves to drift from what's most important. 

5. They're intentional.

High purpose people aren't just going through the motions. Every day is valuable. The wake up determined and go to bed satisfied. They have important work to do. They want to grow and see progress.

6. They don't allow limits and naysayers to hold them back.

People who lack purpose get very uncomfortable around people with strong purpose. They may even mock their efforts and say it can't be done or point out the obstacles standing in the way. But people with purpose don't let these people bring them down. They just try to bring them along. 

7. They're willing to make repeated efforts.

People who lack purpose may try for a moment or a day. But they quickly get discouraged. They want results, but they don't want to grind. They aren't committed enough to the purpose to apply effort consistently until the mission is accomplished. The goal is too important to give up just because it's hard.

What's your purpose? You might consider writing a personal mission statement to clarify what drives you to do great work. What gives your life direction? Let me know your thoughts on creating a stronger sense of purpose for educators and students. Leave a comment below or respond on or . 

Don't Ask For More Until You're Willing to Risk More

Strong leaders have strong visions for their schools. They feel a constant tension between how things are and how they could be. And leaders want to see progress toward the vision. And progress toward the vision is great, but it comes at a cost if leaders aren't careful.

People must never feel diminished at the expense of the vision.

I would challenge leaders to consider this question. Why do you provide learning opportunities for your teachers? I'm guessing the most common answer would be it's for the kids and their learning. 

That's a noble goal, right?

It's to help teachers be better so kids can learn more too. It's to move the school forward toward the vision. We have important work to do to be the best we can be, so the kids can be the best they can be.

But here's the translation for many teachers: My current work is not appreciated here. It's never good enough. You're always trying to squeeze more out of me. I'm doing all I can and now you're adding to my plate. My work is not valued here. I feel like I'm being pushed in directions I don't even know if I want to go.

But what if we approached professional learning from a different perspective? What if school leadership focused more on serving teachers and meeting their needs? What if professional learning was more about growing the teacher and not about better test scores or some other outcome?

Let's create a culture of professional learning that values teachers. Let's start with this idea. We want to provide experiences that help teachers get the most out of their work. We want to provide experiences that help you achieve your greatest fulfillment as a teacher. 

We want to provide experiences that offer the highest return on your investment as an educator. 

That's servant leadership. Helping others make a greater impact and find more fulfillment in what they are doing. It's not about squeezing more out of the individual for the sake of the school, the test scores, or even for the kids. It's not about winning at the SMART goals game.

But those things will probably improve too as teachers feel more appreciated, find more fulfillment, and sense they are getting a higher return on their investment as an educator.

There's nothing wrong with leaders asking more of the people they lead. That's what good leaders do. They challenge people to grow their capacity and to use their capacity to the fullest.

But start with why. Reflect on your own motives. Why are you asking more? It has to be to care for your team. Love your team. It has to be for the benefit of each individual first. Help them reach their goals. Help them feel a greater sense of accomplishment. Give them a sense of their own talent, progress, and strengths.

The best leaders are constantly affirming the work that is being done. They are recognizing the strengths and contributions of each team member. The vision is realized as a result of valuing people, encouraging them, and supporting them all along the way.

Leaders: When we ask teachers to risk more and to give more, are we also giving more and risking more for teachers?

The vision for your school is important, but the vision is meaningless if performance is more important than people.

What are some ways you are risking more for you colleagues, caring for them, and increasing the return on investment for others? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

20 Ways to Be Future Driven in Your Classroom

Reflection is so important for continued learning and growth. I developed the list below as a tool for educators to reflect on practices that help prepare students for a rapidly changing, complex world. Some of these practices are new. Some are not. Some of them involve technology. Some do not. 

These are all based on important themes from my book, Future Driven. These factors help prepare students for a modern world where continuous learning and adaptability are paramount.

I don't think I would expect any educator to be pursuing all of these indicators at once. And this list should never be used to think in terms of judging a good teacher vs. a bad teacher. So don't look at it like that. The purpose of the list is for reflection and growth.

It might give you an idea of where you want to focus your learning for next school year. You could pick one or two and consider how you might develop the practice in your classroom. It might help you consider your next steps in your growth as an educator.

20 Ways to be Future Driven in Your Classroom

1. I provide opportunities for project-based and inquiry-based learning.

2. I give students choices about learning (time, place, path, or pace).

3. I am learning new things about technology and sharing my learning with students and teachers.

4. My students have opportunities to connect with real-world experts.

5. My classroom learning space provides flexibility for student-centered grouping and learning tasks.

6. My students regularly have opportunities to use digital tools to leverage their skills for learning tasks.

7. I utilize Genius Hour or 20 percent time to provide opportunities for students to pursue their passions and interests.

8. I model risk-taking, grit, and perseverance for students and regularly discuss the importance of these characteristics in class.

9. I build strong relationships by greeting students, calling them by name, and getting to know them as individuals.

10. My students assume considerable responsibility for class discussions. Conversations become student-led, instead of teacher-directed.

11. My students take on projects that make a difference in the community or in the world (service-learning).

12. My students have many opportunities to create work that will be visible to authentic audiences.

13. I am intentional about cultivating curiosity in my students by having them develop their own questions, by allowing exploration, or by creating mystery or intrigue.

14. I ask my students for feedback on my teaching and the relevance of my lessons.

15. Empathy is just as important as responsibility in my classroom.

16. I am focused more on what a child can do and not what he/she cannot do.

17. I think about how the future will be different for my students and strive to teach with that in mind.

18. My students have opportunities to experiment with different approaches, rather than just practicing a predetermined method.

19. Character is more important than compliance in my classroom.

20. My students have many chances to take initiative, not just follow directions.

What other practices do you think are important for relevant, future ready learning? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .