Last weekend I met with some friends for a little retreat. We reflected on life and looked at how our passions and experiences might be indicating purpose for our lives. As we shared our lives with each other I thought about how I wouldn’t want to do what they do, and they probably wouldn’t want to do what I do. And that’s GREAT!

If we’re part of an organism, then we have our own purpose to fulfill. A hand doesn’t try to see and an eye doesn’t try to pick up a hammer and swing it. I shouldn’t try to find purpose in bookkeeping or accounting, and an accountant probably wouldn’t find their purpose in my idea-generating activities.

Still all the parts belong to the same body. They have the same blood coursing through them. They rely on the same air, food, and shelter. If the body decides it must do something (eat, sleep, run, etc.), then the parts have to work in conjunction for this common purpose. So must the parts of a business. People, departments, and divisions all belong to the same organism. They have the same financial “blood” flowing through them. They rely on the same mission, vision, and leadership. They may have different functions, but they need to come together in order to accomplish a common purpose (market growth, increasing margins, adjusting to competitors, etc.)

An organism has purpose on macro and micro levels. If the micro-purposes come together, they can accomplish incredible things on a macro level. Problem is, we often don’t know our purpose on ANY level.