Focus. Clarity. Motivation. Fulfillment. These are the predominant rewards of a business with purpose.
Without a purpose — one that goes beyond just making money — your are vulnerable to the uncertainty of forging your own path to fulfillment..
In this episode we talk about why it is so important to find your Single Motivating Purpose (we all have one) and use it to drive your business.
We share our own Single Motivating Purpose and prose a way to get paid to live your purpose.
Right-click here to download the MP3
Click here for the transcript
In This Episode
- The one thing that the most fulfilled and successful entrepreneurs all share in common
- 3 steps to getting paid to live your purpose
- Why Napoleon Hill, of Think and Grow Rich, was wrong about purpose
- The formula for defining your own purpose
- The three things that science proves motivate us most
Items of Interest
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill – This is a classic book read by numerous successful entrepreneurs. It’s definitely worth reading. We just disagree with how he defines and uses purpose.
- Drive by Dan Pink – This books contains a fascinating analysis of the science behind what motivates us in life. It then shows that for decades we have had it all wrong.
Jason’s Single Motivating Purpose
I share knowledge and resources to help people live lives of increasing freedom, fulfillment and purpose.
Jeremy’s Single Motivating Purpose
I inspire purpose-driven action that leads to freedom, fulfillment, and happiness
Quick Tip
Here are three books that have helped us significantly in defining our purpose. All three are well worth your time.
Start With Why shares stories and examples illustrating the importance of defining your purpose.
Strengthsfinder 2.0 is a short book that comes with an assessment. After a 20-minute questionnaire, you are given a list of your top five strengths, along with a customized PDF containing info about how to thrive with your strengths. Your strengths point to and support your purpose.
Unique Ability contains an amazing step-by-step process for defining your purpose, then bringing your business more into line with it.
We recommend going through them in that order.
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
- Unique Ability by Catherine Nomura, Julia Waller and Shannon Waller
Action Guide
1. Buy and ready the books from the Quick Tip.
2. Use the frameworks outlined in the book to gather insights about your own purpose.
3. Start taking note of the times when you feel the most fulfilled.
4. Listen to the episode “How to Know if You Are Living Your Purpose”
What do you think?
What is your Single Motivating Purpose (or your best idea of what it is so far)? When are the times in your life when you most feel a sense of meaning?
Voicemail Line: 877-877-7507
Thanks for another great podcast Jeremy and Jason (still weird saying your real names). It’s making me refocus and decide why I’m doing what I’m doing.
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
You are very welcome! In what way is it making you refocus? Do tell!
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Joseph Lalonde Reply:
I’m hoping to refocus away from the numbers. It’s been so easy to get caught up in the game of numbers rather than influence.
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
Yeah, we were doing that too. We are considering hiring someone to worry about that for us. We can talk about numbers goals once a month and he/she can find ways to up the conversions and we can work on the influence and creating massive value!
Without that numbers person, I think we’ll still do the same. Look at numbers monthly and implement one new conversion strategy, get right back to influence and value creation, then come back and see how the numbers are.
Hey guys,
Such a timely podcast for me. What I really love about you guys is yes you give me all the IT stuff in plain english but the bottom line is you care. You care enough to be transparent and you care enough to share, educate and inspire. What a great SPM you both have. It totally resonates. I have read a couple of the books you have here and would like to add some if I may.
Keith Ferrazzi – Who’s Got Your Back – importance of Lifelines to shape your why and keep you focused (thanks Pete)
Danielle La Port – Fire Starter Sessions – commit to the right course
Patrick M Lencioni – The Advantage – why your cause is so important
Since listening to this podcast I have refined my SPM
I share my customer centric mindset so that organisations can use empathy to make better business decisions.
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Jason Van Orden Reply:
Dan,
Thanks for these suggestions. The Ferrazzi book looks fascinating. I want to read all of these. They have been added to my Amazon lists.
The Advantage looks like a great read to go along with Delivering Happiness.
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Came here to read up after the podcast. I wasn’t going to comment, but I noticed a typo that you might want to fix. “I share knowledge and resources to help people live lives if increasing freedom, fulfillment and purpose.” I believe that should be “of” not “if”.
I point this out only to help if you feel the need to change it. Thanks!
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
You are correct, thanks for letting me know!
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What an awesome podcast! I was so excited I had to listen to it 3 times and then watched the TED talk with Simon Sinek when I got home to my computer. You guys are the best. There doesn’t seem to be anyone else who really cares.
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
Wow, I’m so glad you found value in it! Have you listened to episode 186 yet? It another similar to this one!
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Great as always guys. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Once someone has found their “Single Motivating Purpose” and they want to start doing whatever it is that motivates them do they start without knowing how their going to get paid?
This is one of my biggest roadblocks. I can see what I want to do but I have no faith that it will bring any income at all. I know you say the money will come. But to someone that has never experienced it it can be a scary step.
How would you tackle this?
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
The how that we teach is a Purpose-based Internet Business, including paid content. Are you feeling that you it’s unlikely that you’ll be paid for your content?
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Justin Reply:
Yes, I guess what I’m asking is what if your “Single Motivating Purpose” doesn’t have an audience with an “immediate need” or “irrational passion”?
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
Hmmmm, do you mind given me your SMP so I can see?
Awesome post!! I agree without any purpose no meaning in driving business. So every on must drive it with some purpose.
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Wow…This podcast episode is probably my favorite so far (and that is a hard thing to decide on!)…Seemingly simple, and yet…JUST IN TIME LEARNING, like on steroids. I have been stalling in my business, and it is exactly because of my need to connect to a deeper meaning, higher purpose, bigger picture. Truly for the last 2 weeks I have been on a bonafide vision quest: Looking at storytelling & story structure (to see how my own journey fits into the hero’s journey archetype), reading other material that has to do with finding purpose, researching how to come up with a “personal mission statement”…and then THIS podcast lands in my iTunes. This must be a case of synchronicity, no?
Because my interests are SO diverse (part of my need to make it all make sense, to fit into a bigger picture) I thought..okay, but I can’t possible have just ONE motivating purpose. Will this really work for me? And then, as I was listening to the podcast while walking along the lake shore of beautiful Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, it totally came to me. I sat down on a rock right there in the path and got out my notebook:
“I explore ways to more fully enjoy my human experience, which I then share with others to help them to do the same.”
It may not sound like a lot, but it explains EVERYTHING to me. Behind every diverse interest of mine is the desire to get more enjoyment out of some aspect of life, and then share it with the world. Thanks for this episode guys, it made my week! :) Hannah
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Jason Van Orden Reply:
Hannah,
That is perfect. I love that statement. Can’t wait to see what you do with it next!
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I would like to second the recommendation of “Firestarter Sessions”, which I am currently reading (right in the middle of it at the time I heard this podcast, actually).
Her language might not be everybody’s cup of tea (kinda poetic and hip), but if you get past the language, the actual questions she asks and insights she shares are truly excellent for soul-searching and digging out your deeper meanings, higher purposes and authentic strengths. My mind is racing with discoveries and reconnections about myself…it’s amazing how much these things help.
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Jason Van Orden Reply:
Firestarter Sessions has come up multiple times with people I know. Sounds like I should check it out.
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After starting my blog in August, I discovered your podcast a few months later. Since then, I have been a listener and have learned a lot about internet business marketing.
However, I do have to say that that I really enjoy some of your podcasts that go off topic a bit. This one was probably the most mind expanding one I have heard. It took several listens to get my head around it, but it really did get me thinking.
I have since then begun the Unique Ability process as outlined in the book and am very thankful for you bringing this to my attention. I would say this should be required in every high school, but life experience is probably required to appreciate how insightful this book is.
Thanks guys for the unexpected insights.
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Jeremy Frandsen Reply:
I’m so glad to hear you started the UA process! I agree, this should be something every high school aged child should get. I found it one of the most life changing processes I’ve been through.
I also appreciate your kind comments about our blog and show!
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Guys I can’t tell you how useful this podcast was… Fantastic. (And very timely for me personally.) There’s some awesome concepts included here, thanks for flagging them to us all.
I’m going to buy the books you recommended but I live in the UK so I’m wondering if your affiliate links still work if I buy from Amazon.co.uk instead of Amazon.com? I’d like to ensure you get some money from my purchases… Might be something to think about in the future otherwise you may be missing out on affiliate revenue from UK visitors/listeners.
I use a wordpress plugin called ‘Amazon Affiliate Link Localizer’ that automatically switches to the relevant country’s affiliate program. Might be useful for you! :)
Thanks again,
Mike
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Jason Van Orden Reply:
Hi Mike. I’m glad this was so timely.
Thanks for the plugin tip. I’ve run it on other sites, but not this one. So thank you for the reminder.
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