What are you doing here?
 
  Nigel Buxton Update
What are you doing here? November 2005

 
  Dear Nigel,

When you ask this question to the uninvited guest at a party, he flees. But, as an invited guest at the party when someone asks you, "What are you doing here?" – what do you reply?

In my experience assisting companies with their strategic planning not many have had a clear answer when I have asked the question, "What is your company doing here?

When I am assisting in setting up new companies however there is always a clear reason for creating this new corporate entity.

What happens, where does the "reason to be" go? Do companies have to go through the same process as we individuals, of getting lost so that we have to find ourselves?

Would it be useful and involving to constantly remind and remember in the company "What you (collectively) are doing here"?

 
 
"What are you doing here?" – you personally – above and beyond your participation in the company.

The reason I ask is because I do not want anyone to finish their working life, and their time on this planet, with the feeling that they did not do what they had to (or at least had a good bash at it). Don't you want to get it out of your system?

Do you believe that we are here with a purpose?

Do we have life lessons to learn while we are here?

Are we here to make a contribution to mankind, to be of service in some way?

 
 

We, humans, do come to the point where we have satisfied certain needs, and we start looking for meaning. I know a number of men who have hit this point in their forties.

Where to find it and what is the meaning? Maybe the first place to look is the most obvious – inside yourself.

How will we find it and how will we recognize it when we find it?

Here is an idea.

  • Do what you want to do (remember that you are responsible for your actions)?
  • Trust yourself and do it (you cannot fail - there are no failures – there are only learning experiences).
  • Maybe you have some experiences that you have to get out of your system (I had to have the experience of having a Porsche – one of those boyhood things). Do it, tick it off and move on.
  • Go from experience to experience – you will find that there are always new ideas of things to do bubbling up.
  • There will be times when you feel stuck.
  • Being stuck for a while is fine, but not to be overdone – life is too short – so do something (anything) to get moving again.
  • After doing this and that for some time, and enjoying yourself so much that you have forgotten you were on a quest, you will see something important that you believe in and feel passionate about starts to emerge.
  • Follow that star.

If you believe that your dreams are your unconscious talking to you, then here is an alternative way:

Listen. Listen carefully and explore your dreams: you may find that your dreams can become your goals. And then you will see as you work towards your goals, "Yes, that is what I am here for".

"What are you doing here?" – enjoy the party!

Nigel works with people in business who want to do more with less – to make a greater contribution with less effort – to be more themselves with less holding them back.

This list grows by recommendation, but only when you find the material of use! If you enjoyed this issue, it would be great if you would spread the word. You can do so by forwarding this to a friend or colleague, and inviting them to subscribe, just click "Forward email" at the foot of this mail.

If you received this from a friend or colleague, and you would like to receive your own copy, click on "Update Profile/Email Address" below for registration.

kind regards,


nigel
phone: +386-1-420-1524: +386-31-674-924