Why a purpose trumps a plan

Seth Godin says so much with few words:

There is nothing wrong with having a plan

Plans are great.

But missions are better. Missions survive when plans fail, and plans almost always fail.

What does it mean to have a mission? A vision? A purpose?

It’s the internal engine that keeps you moving forward, navigating the rapids of real life that upset ‘the best laid plans.’

Seth Godin is right. Plans do fail and for myriad reasons. Plans are like road maps to help us reach our goals. Like maps, plans show us alternate routes.

To return to my ‘Going to Florida‘ analogy, if we decide we are going to fly to Florida from Seattle, but the Seattle airport is closed, we’ll need to come up with another way to move towards our destination. Drive to Portland? Take a train to Vancouver? Wait until the airport opens again? Many choices weighed against the factors we have to consider.

It’s our clear purpose (mission) that keeps us focused on where we are going, and helps us to dance with the changing reality that is life.

If our mission wasn’t going to Florida, but taking a vacation, then we’d find different ways around the closure of the airport. Can we postpone the trip? Shall we take a road trip closer to home?

The value of a mission, a purpose, or a vision is to give you and your business something to measure against.

We measure by asking questions like:

Does this action take me closer to my goal?

Does it fit with my purpose?

Clarity about why you are in business keeps you in touch with something bigger than your day to day tasks. It connects you with the passion you had to begin your business in the first place. It helps you to know who your ideal clients are and what to offer them.

Many of us start our businesses without knowing these things. We have to learn by doing. If we pay attention and take time to reflect and review, we will discover the answers along the way.

Does your business have a purpose or mission? How has it made a difference in your business?