After so many years of hearing companies just talk about profit, the bottom line as the only thing that mattered, I started asking myself:”Is there anything beyond profit?” Surely, there had to be something more inspirational than just money. There were great ideas thrown around such as customer journey and sustainability, but when it came to setting the strategy plans and the 5-year budgets those ideas were easily forgotten, nobody spoke about them. Personally, I was losing my own inspiration too. I no longer felt motivated to invest my time, energy and resources into something that did not consider deeply how to add value to society.
I simply resigned from a 25 year long career in search of my own purpose. The last five years have been an incredible journey into my inner world, spanning from ancient wisdom to modern philosophy, a course in miracles, a deep dive into Buddhism and comparative religions, connecting to the founding elements of our nature through shamanic experiences, revelling at the spirituality of science and quantum physics, learning the art of meditation. Slowly but consistently, I peeled away my layers of protection, I discovered my blind spots, I re-aligned my energy centres, and on the way, I helped countless people who were lost somewhere in their life journey. I shared with everyone the knowledge I gained, never worrying whether they were ready to understand it or not, it was up to them to action it as they wanted. I felt it was my duty to share the wisdom I had acquired to do good in the world. My children have been the greatest benefactors of my journey. They are tomorrow’s leaders. How much better will they be able to lead and impact society if they have already the knowledge that I am gaining much later in life?
I was very clear, from the very beginning of my journeys, that companies and c-suite management also need to start their journey within, to find that inner purpose that will transform their world turning them into a force for good. However, this ambition requires a language and a methodology that will persuade them that the purpose of business is not only to build successful companies but also to build a prosperous society on a thriving planet that leaves no one behind. Freedom and commitment to prosperity are the foundations of a free market capitalism; leaders and companies just need to bring these to the heart of their work and extend them to the whole world, including all stakeholders and leaving no one behind. The leap is not as far fetched as one would think.
Talking about the bottom line does not exclude talking about purpose. On the contrary, it should require it. I call it purpose with profit. The world is changing at a speed faster than we have ever experienced and it will continue to get faster. Some companies and leaders are embracing the futures and will make it in the long run, the others will falter and die. The question we need to address is how do we continue running the old business whilst building the new? Simply running the numbers will not take us where we need to go. The recipe is simply: find your purpose, if you cannot find it build it and then find the courage, the mutual trust and the persistence to live it out in the evolution of your business. I am a believer in purpose with profit and know that real progress requires a commitment to doing the right thing. The only limit we need to impose on ourselves is simply to not create any conditions that would cause the destruction of others. The remaining possibilities are infinite.
