With all the building blocks in place, there is one final shift to make. An earlier chapter covered the three building blocks of purpose: spirituality, aspiring to goals, and inspiring flow. This chapter is about focusing your soul attention by following your values. You will learn more about who you are and what your why is. You will identify your most important values, explore clues to discovering purpose, and create the power tool for purpose – a value statement that pinpoints what you do and why. A value statement (sometimes called a personal mission statement or unique selling proposition) provides a clear look at how you add value, based on your values, that will focus your soul attention.

“Flow requires your sole attention. Focus requires your soul attention.” – the Daily PlanIt

Discover Purpose to Focus Your Soul Attention

The Japanese concept of ikigai roughly translates to “the reason you get up in the morning.” Ikigai describes the intersection between what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can earn a living at. Discovering this intersection is easy for some people, but for others it can be a struggle to find it.

Look for Three Clues to Purpose

The experience of flow

Notice what you are doing when you are so absorbed in something you lose all track of time. Often this happens when you are using your strengths and talents.

What you are always chasing

“The most successful people are obsessed with solving an important problem that matters to them. They remind me of a dog chasing a tennis ball.” – Drew Houston, founder of Dropbox

Notice problems that you want to solve, and subjects that continually fascinate you.

What you want to build

“Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life.” – John Gardner

If you are still not certain about your purpose, remember that you are the architect of your life. If you’re not sure, just try something new. You have all the tools to build a positive life; the choice is up to you!

The ABCs of Impact

To Always Be Creating positive shift, Always Be:

• Caring – choose compassion for yourself and others.

• Considering – consistently push pause with SOS to be aware and live thoughtfully.

• Communicating – communicate clearly, and listen closely to relate well with others.

• Clear – about purpose and follow values.

To always be clear about purpose and follow values, create a value statement.

The ABCs of a value statement

Always Be:

• Clear about your values

• Choosing to follow your values

• Connecting with your values

• Communicating your values

Always Be Clear

When you follow your values, you connect with purpose. And to follow your values, you have to know yourself. Part of self-awareness is mapping your values to know what your values are. This includes core values of universal worth that are mentioned in the chapter on Purpose, and also what you value in a more subjective way. It’s also important to know what your talents are and how you will use them.

Create a written statment that describes how you add value, based on your values. Sometimes called a personal mission statement or unique selling propostion, a value statement pinpoints what you do and why, and it is a guiding compass that always points the way. It is a powerful tool that adds incredible focus to all you do.

A value statement includes:

• WHO you are – introduce yourself

• WHAT you do – job title or description

• MISSION – the problem you solve

• WHY – because of what beliefs/values

• WHAT you provide

• WHO you help

• VALUE for what results/benefits

• HOW you are unique

Put all together, it looks like this: Hi, I’m (name). I’m a (job title or description). My mission is to (solve this problem), because I believe in (these values). I provide (this product or service) to help (this target audience) so they can (have these results and benefits). I do this by (doing this, in this unique way). Value statements are not set in concrete, and will likely evolve over time as you re-evaluate.

When you use the ABCs of impact to create positive shift, you make a difference not only in your own life, but also in the world. When you identify your goals, you know the shift that you want to make happen in your life. When you decide what positive shift you want to make happen in the world, that is a really big shift. This vision for the future drives action that is profoundly satisfying in the present. When you know your purpose, you really know your shift.

KEY POINTS to Maximize values:

• Know yourself, your values and talents

• Create a value statement that pinpoints what you do and why

• Follow the direction of your values

The practices of the BE MEASURING framework and the information in this book will help you make the shift to a positive life and increased well-being. What will you do with the next 24 hours that are ahead of you? I hope you are ready to make some amazing shift happen!

the Brand and Purpose Toolkit at the Daily PlanIt