What Is Mine to Do? Purpose, Clarity & Decision-Making | Vera Chin
When you’re capable of doing many things, how do you know what is actually yours to do?
I recently had a conversation with a fellow business coach whose experience I greatly respect.
We were talking about purpose.
He reflected on how easy it can be to believe we know our purpose, yet over time find ourselves doing this, doing that. Doing many different things.
He brought up Steve Jobs.
When Jobs returned to Apple, one of the things he became known for was dramatically simplifying what Apple was doing. Rather than continuing to pursue an ever-growing number of products and possibilities, the company narrowed its focus.
And that conversation stayed with me.
Because it raised another side of purpose that we don’t always talk about.
Purpose isn’t only about what you say yes to.
When we think about purpose, we can easily think about finding the thing.
What should I do?
What should I pursue?
Where can I contribute?
What opportunity should I say yes to?
But perhaps knowing your purpose is just as valuable for an entirely different reason.
It helps you know what to say no to.
And sometimes those are the harder decisions.
It’s relatively easy to say no to something that is clearly wrong for us.
It’s much harder to say no to something that is good.
A good opportunity.
A good client.
A good business idea.
A good project.
Something we’re perfectly capable of doing.
Because when you’re capable of doing many things, there can be a temptation to do many things.
And before long, we can find ourselves busy, productive and even successful, but scattered.
Perhaps the question isn’t always:
What else could I do?
Perhaps a more important question is:
What is mine to do?
Purpose isn’t necessarily about doing more.
Knowing your purpose can give you a clearer reference point for deciding what deserves your yes, what needs your no, and where your time and energy belong.
Sometimes it gives us the clarity to narrow.
To recognise where our time and energy belong.
To distinguish between an opportunity that is good and an opportunity that is right for us.
To say no to something worthwhile because there is something more significant that deserves our yes.
And perhaps that’s part of the ROI of purpose.
Not simply more opportunities.
But greater clarity about which opportunities deserve our time, energy and attention.
The work hadn’t changed. But my reason for doing it had.
There’s a story from my corporate career that fundamentally changed the way I saw my work.
At the heart of that experience was a realisation:
The work hadn’t changed.
But my reason for doing it had.
Years later, I finally found language for what I had experienced.
Purpose.
Since then, I’ve come to believe that purpose isn’t simply an inspirational statement about what we’re here to do.
It can become a practical reference point for how we choose to live, work and lead.
Because knowing where you’re going changes the way you evaluate the roads in front of you.
Knowing your purpose is only the beginning.
This is part of the thinking behind something I’ve developed called the BECOME™ Method.
BECOME™ is a six-step coaching journey from:
Purpose → Alignment → Purposeful Action
Because knowing your purpose is one thing.
Learning to live according to it is another.
That’s where the deeper work begins.
So perhaps these are the questions worth sitting with:
If you became clearer about what you’re here to do, what would you start doing?
And perhaps more importantly:
What might you finally stop doing?
Because you don’t simply find your purpose.
You BECOME it.
Ready to explore your purpose?
If you’re at a crossroads, juggling too many possibilities, questioning what’s next, or simply wanting greater clarity about where your time and energy belong, I’d love to have a conversation.
