For
Immediate Release
Today the Felding Foundation
announced the recipient of the annual Person With Purpose award. This year’s winner asked to have his name
kept anonymous and to be just known as PWP.
PWP is currently employed as a street sweeper on a downtown mall.
“My
purpose is to keep the mall clean so that the citizens and visitors can enjoy
this fine outdoor resource,” PWP stated.
“I’m able to enjoy fresh air, meet many interesting people and have
developed a world class collection of odds-and-ends that people have
discarded.”
When
asked why he is sweeping the outdoor mall rather than being mayor, a brain
surgeon or leading the fight to save the spotted chameleon, PWP simply said,
“Those jobs are already filled. The mall
needed a sweeper. I can make a
contribution and I enjoy the job.”
One of the selecting panel judges
asked PWP if he got bored. “Are you
kidding?” he replied. “Every day is a
new adventure. I may need to deal with
snow, rain, wind or sunshine. There are
new people to meet. I have a clear goal
and I pursue it every day.”
The
Felding Award Committee has developed a question and answer document based upon
an interview with PWP that is being distributed with this press release.
###
Questions and
Answers
Question:
What comes to mind when you hear the word “purpose?”
Answer
from PWP: When
thinking about terms such as “purpose” I find it easy to lose track of what the
word is. I know the general intent, but
can’t remember the specific word. So I
used a memory device and imagined a porpoise.
Since then whenever I’ve been thinking about this subject, I start by
picturing a porpoise and the word “purpose” snaps into place. What better memory device than a beautiful
mammal that moves gracefully though the seas with determination and intent.
Question: What does purpose mean?
Answer from PWP: Let’s dissect purpose. First, there must be a goal, a vision, a
target, a principle destination, a Mecca.
We seek an outcome or result. We
have an idea and a point where we’re headed.
“I have a dream,” resonates and produces a mental image of what can
be. My goal today, once this interview
is completed, is to sweep the whole mall.
To reach
that end, there must be a plan. We must
design a blueprint, draw up a map or formulate the direction to take. We must take aim. This requires calculation, reason and thought
to figure out how to accomplish our objective.
My plan is to start at one end of the mall and sweep to the other end.
With a
plan in place, we must then decide to go on the journey. It doesn’t just happen, but requires the
human will to pursue, take the necessary action to work toward the goal. I could have the greatest plan, but if I
never pick up my broom, nothing happens.
Once we
are on the journey, it will not be easy.
There will be obstacles along the way.
We must maintain our energy, focus and resolve to continue. We must have the determination, ambition and
desire to take the next step. We make a
commitment and then follow through. We
must maintain faith with the single-mindedness to succeed. We are tested during our trip. Shall I give up? Shall I just sit down beside the road and
forget about it? We must be tenacious,
stalwart, staunch, undeviating, unfaltering, unwavering. This requires a confidence that we are on an
important mission. We must not get
distracted but maintain our focus on the scope of what we have set out to
accomplish. I once had a prankster steel
my broom. I could have given up, but
instead I went to a store and bought a new broom.
Question: What if you don’t achieve your
goal?
Answer
from PWP: Pardon me for being blunt, but it’s the
journey, stupid. We must set goals and
work toward them, but whether we reach them or not isn’t as important as what
we do along the way. I set out each
morning with the goal of sweeping the whole mall. Most days I make it, but one time I got
sidetracked helping a lost child.
Question: Compare purpose to lack of
purpose.
Answer
from PWP: Purpose involves energy, direction and
focus. When I am purposeful the broom
just flies in my hands and the day zips by.
The next morning, I can’t wait to
pick up the broom again, to see what adventures await me.
Lack of
purpose--I sit staring at the ground. I
don’t pick up my broom and I don’t go anywhere.
My eyes close. I think of taking
a nap.
Whatever
occupation or hobby we’re involved in, we can find ourselves bouncing between
these two extremes. Some is directed
from the outside.
“Take
that hill, soldier.”
“Yes,
sir.”
But the
ultimate meaning and drive comes from within each of us. Rather than take the hill, I could go off to
the pub or I could take the anthill with the same verve as Teddy Roosevelt
charging up San Juan Hill.
So even
if the impetus is external, the deciding factor is still my own attitude and
how I interact with the external calling.
Question:
You can’t be up all the time. Who
or what inspires you?
Answer from PWP: Like everyone else, I seek
someone to inspire, motivate and lead me, but still there is an internal switch
that is flipped to indicate I am ready to be inspired, motivated or led.
Why not
just flip the switch and provide my own inspiration, motivation and leadership?
Question:
Just a minute. I’m asking the
questions here. Why not just flip the
switch and provide your own inspiration, motivation and leadership?
Answer from PWP: Exactly. I couldn’t have posed the question better
myself. When I take control of my own
attitude I can flip the switch. If I
wallow in feeling sorry for myself or am holding a grudge, then I need someone
to shake me. That’s why it’s always good
to have some external feedback along the journey.
Question: What purposes do you pursue and
which do you abandon?
Answer from PWP:
We all have many choices. Talent
dictates some. My five-foot-six inch
body wouldn’t help becoming a basketball star.
Yet, I’ve developed the endurance to sweep from dawn to dusk.
Question:
Do we choose a purpose or does it choose us?
Answer from PWP:
Every person can have a purpose.
Each purpose is unique. A child
who has a beautiful voice can become a singer and give enjoyment to millions of
listeners while feeling the fulfillment of music, whereas I’m tone deaf and
can’t carry a tune. So my purpose is not
to sing. We may have an innate talent
that we can develop. We may be born with
this talent (it chooses us), but it is still up to us to develop and nurture
this talent. Not all children with
beautiful voices become singers.
Fulfilling this purpose requires commitment, action and follow through.
Question:
Where does purpose apply in life?
Answer from PWP: Purpose can be found in many
different spheres. There are examples in
work, family, volunteer activities and even sports.
When I
was in high school, I wanted to win the state mile run. I carried a picture of the track in my wallet
as I practiced every day. Did I achieve
my goal? I beat two runners and came in
sixth. But I enjoyed the journey, and it contributed to my still being in good
physical shape.
Question:
You’ve been compared to Gandhi, Mother Theresa and Winston Churchill,
yet you’re only a sweeper. What gives?
Answer from PWP: I’m just a common person with
purpose. Clearly, there are world famous
PWPs, but every person in the world has the potential to be a PWP in whatever
sphere of influence he or she has. I can
choose to be a grouchy curmudgeon or a cheerful participant in life. Look around you. There are people who seem to have everything,
but are miserable. There are others who
have survived the most tragic events, yet are full of joy and enthusiasm. I’ve found what I’m good at, I enjoy it, I
support myself and I give back to the community.
Question:
What does purpose have to do with meaning?
Answer from PWP:
Purpose involves meaning. We
don’t invent meaning. We discover
it. It is there to be found, but we must
proactively go after it. We have to seek
it out. The universe is benign, and it
is up to us to interact with it, set a direction and be agents of positive
change.
We must
question. What goal shall I set? What path shall I follow? What steps will I take on the journey? How will I overcome obstacles? What do I do when I feel discouraged?
The
hero’s journey is the journey of purpose.
There is a challenge and the hero leaves the comfort of home to achieve
a goal. Obstacles are encountered. The hero grows, learns and eventually
succeeds. With the quest accomplished,
the hero returns as a complete person.
Question: How does religion relate to
purpose?
Answer
from PWP: As I sweep along the mall, I meet many people
of different faiths. My pocket has been
picked by people professing to be religious, and I’ve seen some of the most
incredible acts of human kindness from people who claim they’re not religious.
I believe that all religions at
the core are addressing the same basic topic:
There is a power greater than ourselves, call it God if you like, but
it’s up to each of us to take responsibility for our actions and our lives.
I’ve boiled my spiritual beliefs
down to three basic principles. First,
treat others as they need to be treated in their circumstances. Second, do what you can to make the world a
better place. Third, smile.
Question:
Where do you draw the line between turning something over to God or
taking responsibility?
Answer
from PWP: That is the most intriguing paradox in
life. If I think it is all up to me, I
get arrogant and lose sight of my purpose.
If I think it is all up to God, then I don’t do anything. The paradox is that I must act in order to
have the higher power act through me. I
can’t do it on my own, yet I am the instrument and nothing happens if I don’t
take responsibility. It’s like with
prayer. I don’t pray for results. I pray for the strength to do my part to help
produce the results.
Question:
Where does love fit into all of this?
Answer
from PWP: Love is the way we interact with other people
and the world. We can define this
interaction purely from our own self-centered viewpoint or we can define it
from the larger perspective of what is right for life. Let me give you an example. My goal is to sweep the mall each day I’m
here. What happens when I encounter a
lost child sitting in the play area, crying?
I could just move on thinking that I don’t have time to let this child
interfere with my goal or I could stop, comfort the child and help find the
parent. This later action would delay
achieving my goal of sweeping the mall, but it is what is being asked of me at
that time.
Question:
Doesn’t that mean that you didn’t define a lofty enough goal to begin
with?
Answer
from PWP:
(smiles) No. It means that the higher
purpose is wrapped around the specific goal I’ve set. As we discussed earlier, the important part
is the journey. We can be so preoccupied
with achieving the goal that we lose sight of why we’re pursing it. Then when we get there we feel empty and
disappointed. Or we pursue the specific
goal as a commitment to a life of love, and any deviation along the way is to
serve the higher purpose. To achieve any
lofty goal we must take a first step. We
can’t solve world hunger without feeding a mouth at a time. I can’t clean the mall without first moving
my broom. When I’ve emptied the last
dustpan at the end of the day, I reflect back on where I started in the
morning, the people I’ve met along the way and know that I’ve achieved
something worthwhile.
Question:
Any final comments?
Answer
from PWP: It’s good to be here, living this life at
this time. Now if you’ll lift your foot
up, I’ll be happy to sweep away the toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your
shoe.
