10/05/2021
Our office wall art arrived. We selected this canvas after reading the inspiration behind the art. Take a read if you’d like:
Every leader in history has had to balance their vision against the desires of those they lead. It is Purpose versus Popularity. The successful ones know: It is far better to live your life on a foundation of purpose than to live according to what's popular at the time.
It comes down to two forces. Everyone has two voices in their heads, and each one gives input on just about every decision we make. Unfortunately, it's not the shouldered angel-and-devil that cartoons have prepared us for. That would be too easy to know which to listen to. No, they are the voices of internal Purpose and external Popularity.
The struggle lies in the fact that both inputs are valid considerations. Purpose makes sure you are living the life you want to live. Popularity is a kind of guiding litmus test that measures your choices against what the common man might think about them.
But the common man isn't qualified to make your life's decisions.
The key is to learn to differentiate one voice from the other. You have to be able to tell what you want to choose from what is merely popular—internal truth from external pressure.
And here's the most important point: You must always put purpose above popularity.
This is because Popularity sways with the times and the trends. (If you don't believe that, just look at the slang, fashions, and laws that popularity has abandoned over the years.) Remember this: Anything whose value decreases over time isn't worth investing in.
Purpose, however, is unwavering. It is unique to each person. (Everyone has their own voices, remember?) To the individual, it is a North Star of their values, and its inherent truth makes it the only input worth listening to. A good life, like a house, requires a stable foundation. So which would you rather build yours on: shakeable popularity or a steady purpose?
Remember that the next time life presents you with a tough decision and you feel paralyzed. Always go with Purpose over Popularity. At times you may make unpopular choices, but you will have done it for yourself, not the crowd.
