Finding My Purpose

I firmly believe every business should have a purpose and values. But why do we stop there; that should extend to us - we, as individuals, should have a purpose too.

I struggled for years trying to find out what my purpose was and I’m not even sure if I knew I needed a purpose. I just knew I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t fulfilled. I enjoyed what I did but it wasn’t enough for me. My life was filled with things whether it be skiing, travelling, diving, running. I was always busy but I was missing something and work didn’t fulfill me.

Once I started Flora & Fauna, which will be covered in plenty of depth in lots of other blogs, I loved it. I was challenged and started to build something special, something that started to make a difference. The pieces then really started to click together and I knew I had found what I was meant to do and I have found my purpose. Of course, I then had to try and translate my purpose into words. My purpose wasn’t to build Flora & Fauna; my purpose was to build many Flora & Fauna’s, to make a change in many ways, and to really question the status quo.

I summarise my purpose as ‘Giving more than I take in my time on planet earth’.

Very simply put do good and drive change. My purpose has really helped guide me and decisions I make. My values underpin this and I relentlessly chase down my purpose. However, for years I didn’t know what I was here for and I was pretty lost. It took me 40 years to realise I needed purpose and it took me following my gut and passions to realise what that purpose was.

Along my journey I was never far from my purpose. When I was 19 I built solar cookers in Spain to champion renewable energy, the following year I lived in a village community in Kenya teaching. I love giving back, I struggled to tie in my passion for purpose with everyday working. F&F helped me piece everything together and I realised what it meant to truly find and follow your purpose.