Pinkcast 1.20: Discover your purpose (in one minute) with the Napkin Test.
LINKS AND FURTHER READING:
- You can do the Napkin Test yourself on this one-page PDF. When you’re done, take a look at Leider’s own napkin.
- You can find out more about Richard Leider, his books, and his work on his website.
So I did the exercise straight after watching.
I gain a sense of purpose when I use:
1. My GIFTS: Organisation and Creativity, learning more and developing new ideas
2 .To serve my PASSION: I’m interested in careers and new technology, the changing nature of work.
3. In a culture that VALUES: Independence, Flexibility and time Freedom, I want to work on my terms and to have plenty of time for my interests – travel, adventures, music and dancing
What gets me up in the morning: Increasing peoples’ self-understanding and helping them grow more confident. Helping people find career happiness at any age.
Once again, fantastic. Succinct. On the money. I’m using this in my class tomorrow. THANK YOU!!
Loved this one – It is already on its way to a couple of people who need and want direction.
After watching this week’s off-center video, I have to say that I sure appreciate you, Dan, for making it your mission to bring us practical wisdom via Pinkcasts. From Day One, they have been consistently entertaining and enlightening.
And I’m grateful for Richard’s powerful methodology (emphasis on POW!) for answering one of life’s biggest questions. As much as I don’t care for math, this formula is a gem.
Love it. I love learning things in under a minute. Perfect Pink Cast 🙂
And, Thankyou.
Nice to see Richard Leider, Dan! Thanks for having him!
I realize I’m not quite as legendary as Richard, but in my experience discovering purpose typically takes longer than a minute. Much longer!
Still, this is a nice framework to use.
Excelent!
I want to share the hell out of this post (love it!) but your “email this post” sends me in an endless loop asking me to subscribe (or maybe I am dimwitted, that’s a possibility). I already did or I wouldn’t be trying to email this to my son, and my new team at my new gig where is am g plus p plus v equals over the moon. Since I am really determined, I will just copy the url and send to them. Meanwhile I will tweet and post and share on linkedin. I am a devoted follower. Thanks, Justine
I might add that your Calling should serve a community of people you care about.
I am struck by how obvious this is and how hard it is to achieve. If we study people who achieve notoriety for achieving their calling (G+P+V) and people who fall short, what needs to change for more people to get there as a matter of course?
However, if more people do achieve their calling, it won’t necessarily make the world a better place. I think I could argue something akin to this formula is why President Trump admires (anecdotally or deeper than that) the likes of Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin, Steve Bannon and so many others in his administration. I seriously wonder if something is missing from the formula (ethics, morality?) or do we want to add a footnote to “P”*?
* “P” Passion here is not messianic zeal but dogged commitment to humility, compassion and making the world a better place. I think of TED prize winners, for example. Note that “V” for value is defined by Mr. Leider as a place – a place where you are valued and that you value because they value you. An entrepreneurial startup? The White House? The Kremlin?
I completely agree with you, Dennis. The values or passions should be valued not just by you or your group. They should reflect good character and be valued by all of society. The positive psychology periodic table of character strengths outlines these. Each of us can not only find fulfillment but happiness and well-being by exercising our strengths. It seems that strengths is another form of Dr. Leider’s “gifts” but contain moral value.
I was inspired by Dick Leider many years ago when he worked with Wilson Learning to help employees discover their purpose. His work and life are both aligned and powerful. Over the years he continues to deepen his purpose and widen his audience. His work is limitless and timeless.
Nancy Wolfberg
As always, wonderful little insights to help us prod along.
Sounds very similar to the ‘get paid for doing something you enjoy and you’ll never work again?’ statement I’ve come across many times before. How do we guarantee that the ‘calling’ we discover pays the bills?
Thank you, sir, for another illuminating Pinkcast!
Dan, I’ve seen Richard speak previously about this Napkin Test. Our calling really does fuel us and get us out of bed. I’ve been working on my calling (or purpose) for years now. I never feel like “I have to go to work today.”
DP, nice cast! Hey, maybe call us viewers your “Pinkies”? It would surely rival that of Lady Gaga’s “little monsters.” ~Be well.
That is a powerful message packed into just 2 minutes.
Thank you for this Pinkcast.
Keep the Pinkcasts coming Dan!
I love your work! I had never heard of Richard so thank you for introducing me to him. I am going to blog about this formula – so easy and to the point. I agree, purpose is the most detrimental to our overall health and wellbeing.
This reminds me of the concept recently popularized as ‘ikigai’, ‘reason for being’.
It combines what you’re good at, what you love, what you can get paid for, and what the world needs.
Your ikigai is where passion, mission, vocation, and profession meet.