A man can bear any what if he has a big enough why.
—Nietzsche, the German philosopher
The why Nietzsche refers to is really meaning or purpose in life. Purpose matters! I have seen firsthand in business and many ministries that people will give their lives to achieve a meaningful purpose. Some are willing to die for a great cause—purpose. People are willing to work only so hard in a job, but they will give their all for a great purpose. According to Dan Miller in Wisdom Meets Passion, this is especially highlighted in the generations of our children and grandchildren. They are especially attuned to what they perceive matters in life versus career and money.
History has shown us that some people are willing to kill for money. But, people will only be willing to die themselves or make great sacrifices for a significant purpose. The highest motivation is what people are willing to die for or commit their lives to. Jesus said, “He who loses his life will save it, and he who saves his life will lose it.” We understand the difference that purpose makes.
Making a difference
I saw Mark a few weeks ago. He was really tired. After he told me about his schedule, I understood why. He was putting in a lot of hours and hard work. I was curious as to why he didn’t do something else. He is very qualified and can make a good living with other companies without the long hours and intense schedules. I asked him why he was doing this. Actually, he was setting the pace and putting the expectations on himself, not the company. The reason he was working so hard was because he saw a window of opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of people through his project. He believed it would improve the quality of healthcare for patients and make a difference for the company. When the discussion was over, it all boiled down to one thing. He genuinely wanted to make a difference.
This is an excerpt from Leon Drennan’s new book, Good King/Bad King–Which One Are You? Click here to learn more.
