Last night I was in a coaching conversation with a client who was experiencing consternation. The consternation was the result of being hindered by a staid culture where the status quo eclipses any possibility of change. However, he made a poignant statement that the “the enemy of success is not changing.”

His obvious frustration led to a conversation about the broader realities of being an executive. He mentioned waking up in the middle of night worried about the well being of thousands of employees and their families. He was truly “mission motivated.” His purpose of providing for thousands of families transcended his paycheck and was his true purpose.

My client’s comments and the picture of waking up in the middle of night echoed in my head as I drove home. I realized that finding a sense of purpose is the secret to weathering any storm.

But finding purpose is not easy and requires some self reflection and discipline. Here are five pragmatic strategies you can employ to find your purpose:

1. Seek out assignments that contribute socially – When a crisis occurs, don’t be afraid to volunteer. You will find that social missions provide fertile opportunities to learn what could be your purpose.
2. Ask yourself “What part or activities of my job would I do for free”- When you take finances out, you can find the purpose beyond money.
3. Communicate to others so they feel purpose – To help with college, I was a busboy in a restaurant. I was asked to join my fellow busboys one Saturday morning. Arriving at the restaurant we met with a group of executives. They told us we were the most important part of the restaurant. They explained that without us, customers would not sit at a clean table and the waitresses could not take the order of hungry customers. They sincerely expressed the “why” of our work. With that sense of purpose, I cleared tables quicker and with an extra touch of cleanliness.
4. Relate tedious work with helping others – Think about the little tasks you do everyday. A client of mine cleans and refurbishes commercial drums. The CEO has communicated to employees that the drums they clean contain chemicals that are responsible for such products as perfumes and car oil. Their fastidiousness in cleaning each drum allows manufacturers to produce safe and valuable products.
5. Create perspectives of purpose – There is the story of two brick layers working on a church building. When someone asked what they were doing, one bricklayer said, “Can’t you see, I am a brick layer.” When the other brick layer was asked the same question, he said, “I am building a great cathedral.” The second bricklayer carried a “perspective of purpose.”