We often hear about the importance of finding our purpose. And a sense of purpose does support us in making meaningful choices.

But if you haven’t yet considered your purpose, you might feel a little disconcerted. You might be thinking, ‘’I should know my purpose by now!’’

Rather than putting pressure on yourself to find your purpose, perhaps think about growing your purpose. Recognize what motivates you and give your energy to that.

In a recent Six Seconds, The Emotional Intelligence Network EQ Café , we were discussing exactly that. How to water our purpose. Like watering our garden.

Indeed, we drew our gardens and then considered what helped them grow, how we handled the outside elements that challenged our growth and how we maintained the wellbeing of our gardens.

The focus? How to blend and nurture the ingredients that help us grow.

What you Water Grows.

It’s obvious with plants and a garden. No water, no growth. And just like a plant, the parts of your life you give energy, time and care to will flourish. Be that a relationship, a skill, belief or habit.

Where are you consciously growing the trust in a relationship, the expertise in a skill or the evidence for a belief?

Attention Drives Outcomes.

If you’re continuously fertilizing and pruning your roses, but over-watering your tulips, you’ll probably see your roses thrive and your tulips wilt. Because whatever you repeatedly focus on – whether it creates a positive or negative impact – expands.

What are the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that you are watering? Maybe you’ve created a habit around them – as though you’ve got an internal sprinkler that automatically clicks on.

Priorities Forge Purpose.

You may say you want to enable ideation and empower teams, but when you prioritize business as usual and hitting quarterly targets over trying out new ideas and looking for long term value, your behaviour speaks your purpose. And those around you see this.

When do you collaboratively set priorities with your team – to reflect the health of not just your garden, but those of all the adjoining, interdependent gardens.

Weeds, Wet Rot, Winds: Challenges Exist.

There will always be elements in the environment – and within you – that will challenge the health of your garden.

What are the elements that threaten your ability to stay true to your sense of purpose and what is important to you?

How will you protect what you are growing from them?

Focus Finds Favour

As any vigilant gardener knows, be mindful of what you want to grow – and nurture that.

It’s ok if along the way you decide that what’s emerging isn’t exactly what you envisioned. You can change the plan: move the soil, repurpose the pebbles and switch the plants.

The Final Word

One of my favourite books is Candide, the story of a trusting innocent, navigating his way through many adventures – experiencing both great good fortune and extreme bad fortune.

The book ends with Candide back on familiar ground, much wiser for his experiences, saying, ‘’Il faut cultivar notre jardin.’’

In short, let’s cultivate our garden. Let’s focus on making the most of what we have – and grow that.