‘For what purpose?’
Three little words that have the power to ignite a flame in an individual and an organisation.
Three words that can become an unshakable compass.
An invaluable filter.
A powerful fuel.
A basis of faith.
The past two+ years the global pandemic forced us to think quietly, very carefully, about what matters, about who matters, about where matters. By stopping the world, COVID-19 offered us the opportunity to start the process of carefully articulating what we hold dear in our hearts. What is our inner voice whispering to us? What is it telling us about where we choose to give our time, our energy, our love…and our money? What has changed? And if there has been changes, what now?
Once that inner voice is heard, even if simply as a hush deep within our heart, it is incredibly difficult to mute. Rightly. As it grows louder, we find ourselves in the rare position of being able to not only elevate what we have learned about ourselves, but to translate this into our action. By choice, and purposefully, in a way that ensures that we do not allow our (newly discovered) sense of purpose to be silenced.
The concept of ‘purpose’ has become the focal point of conversations, articles and debates as the world recalibrates around both professional and personal decision making. Purpose-driven leadership, purpose-based business, purposeful community, travel with purpose.
Purpose has become a primary criterion for so many when they are considering career progression, job selection, investment determination, holiday location, even product selection. The push of BECAUSE I CAN of the past has become a pull – BECAUSE I MUST, revealing a shared DNA, a sense of clarity, and call to action around what really matters, and why.
Critical, is ensuring that our inner voice of purpose is protected from being extinguished.
The willingness to step up, and forward, with an inextinguishable sense of purpose immediately takes one to the words of the late President Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, when he stood before the jury at the Rivonia trials in April 1964. It was to be a testimony. Instead, it became a four-hour long statement with remarkable sense of focus, faith, and purpose, concluding with the words now etched into history:
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
President Mandela’s closing lines, his searing words stating that this was an ideal for which he was prepared to die, is one that often can be seen as a dividing cline between the principle of purpose and the action of purpose.
As made vividly clear by President Mandela, having a sense of purpose is not enough. It must be directed to create a greater, more meaningful, more helpful, impact.
And it must be deeply personal.
Which is why I share, here, now, that just a matter of days ago, my business – ANITA MENDIRATTA & Associates (AM&A) – marked the immense blessing and honour of two decades of operations. Truth be told, as a business with foundations in the travel, tourism and aviation industries, the past two years of COVID-19 could very easily have seen the close of the business. Were it not for our core objectives – our reason for being – and its direct connection to what was so dearly needed across our client portfolio and the wider global tourism leadership industry, sadly, our doors would have been forced to shut. Our firmly focused, fiery sense of purpose, however, carried us through. Thankfully and importantly, it also helped carry our clients, partners and industry through.
For this reason, reaching two decades and being able to celebrate the milestone with clients and partners who have made it happen, was a moment not taken for granted. It ignited the need to never, never, ever lose sight of what has held firm for twenty years: our sense of “for what purpose?”
Whatever one is doing, whatever one is engaged in, whatever one sees as their profession, deep within our minds, hearts and actions there needs to be a sense of purpose – the ability to stand for something, to feel the flame of purposeful determination burning so strongly that it allows one to endure the times of challenge. And yet, at the same time, it allows us to put moments of joy into perspective, leaving us whispering a humble a prayer of thanks.
Such was the case when the day arrived to honour the 20th anniversary of AM&A. It was a moment of not just deep celebration, but deeply felt tears – tears of gratitude, tears of privilege, and tears of purpose.
AM&A’s purpose, my tears, have become the water that will be channeled towards feeding parched soils of places around the world that are trying to recover from crisis. The vehicle through which that is being done: https://anitamendirattafoundation.org/
Now registered as an official Charity with the UK Charity Commission, this Foundation enables the business to direct its impact – its earnings, network, reputation, relationships and deep sense of purpose – towards helping people in places around the world become stronger, become safer, and become more hopeful. AMF is a reinforcement of not only the power of purpose, but the ability to turn purpose into action, not losing one moment of time, one ounce of energy, one partner, one penny of investment. Everything has context. Everything is driven by compassion. Everything is fuelled by purpose.
To reach 20 years with such clarity of purpose is a gift beyond measure.
As we re-enter the world, getting busy making up for lost time / access / insight / opportunity…may we never lose connection with the time / access / insight / opportunity found.
And may the inner voice of our hearts only grow louder, and louder, and louder….x
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2022