Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

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How To Be On-Purpose in Business & LIfe

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Kevin McCarthy speaking about purpose in business and life.

You never really know how your work touches another person’s life.While I’ve known Dr. Jim for over 30 years, I had no idea until this interview the impact of our working together on his 2-word purpose. Here’s the interview in its entirety.

Jim, as you’ll see, is a bright guy with a curious mind and a steward’s heart. His strong Christian faith comes through in this interview — as does mine. Thanks to his inquisitive mind, we go deep with some on-purpose principles. Given our relationship, there’s a natural comfort in our conversation, which I hope translates into a deeper appreciation and application of your 2-word purpose.   As always, your comments are welcomed.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Dr. Jim Harris

My Personal Declaration of Independence

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Person handcuffed with the text My Personal Declaration of Independence

When in the Course of my Human Life it becomes necessary to dissolve my unhealthy and unproductive Patterns which have led me to this point in my life and relationships, there arrives such a time to assume among the Powers of Earth and Heaven, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of God entitle me, an inherent Identity, Respect, and Worth apart from the opinions of others, requires that I declare and separate myself from such distraction, derailment, and destruction in order to ascend to my rightful Purpose, Promise, and Place as an On-Purpose Person in Creation.

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Wellbeing. — That to secure these rights, personal responsibility must be seized, embraced, and owned, deriving said just Powers from the consent of the Creator, — That whenever any Form of Self-Governance becomes destructive of these ends, it is my Duty to alter or to abolish it, and to institute revitalized Personal Leadership, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its Powers in such form as one’s Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values, as to most likely effect my Safety, Wellbeing, and Joy. 

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Patterns long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience has shown I am more disposed to tolerate and suffer, knowing that insufferable evils will not right themselves or abolish the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of self-inflictions and disruptions of Purpose, pursuing invariably the same Object repeats a Pattern to reduce and subject me to Despair, it is my right, it is my duty, to throw off such Inflictions, and to provide new Guards for my future security. — Such has been my patient sufferance; and such is now the necessity which constrains me to alter my former System of Personal Leadership. The history of my present Person is a history of repeated Self-Defeat and Squander at great peril and cost to the Innate Purpose and Promise bequeathed to me by my Creator upon my Human Birth.

<insert your Off-Purpose Pattern(s) here>

I, therefore, the Person solely charged and vested to lead this profound Gift of One Life do assemble and engage with others in like-mindedness in my Personal Declaration of Independence, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the ethic of my intentions, do, in the Nature, and by the Authority of the People of this On-Purpose Planet, a Commonwealth, solemnly publish and declare, That I am, and of Right ought to be a Free and Independent Person, that I am Absolved from all Allegiance to the Distractions, Derailments, and Destructions of my Past and that I sever all connections from them and their grip on me. They are to be totally dissolved; and that I am to be a Free and Independent Person, with my full On-Purpose Powers and Promise to defeat my nagging Fears, embrace true Peace, contract healthy Alliances, establish meaningful Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which an Independent Person may of right do–And for the support of this Personal Declaration of Independence, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, I, as an On-Purpose Person In-Creation and a member of this commonwealth with On-Purpose Persons do mutually pledge to myself and to each other my Life, my Calling, and my sacred Honor.  

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The Persisting Presences

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Saturday, June 10, 2023, Judith and I attended the Consecration and Installation of the Right Reverend Justin Holcomb as the Episcopal Bishop of Central Florida. It was a glorious occasion filled with pomp and circumstance, worship music, a bench of bishops, a pontification of priests and deacons, and a congregation of witnesses and worshippers for communion.  

Pictured above is the profound moment when Bishop-Elect Holcomb is in prostration (green circle) before the Presiding Bishops and bench of Bishops. Soon they will examine and lay hands of Apostolic succession upon him. This posture of submission represents a reverent obedience and total surrender to Christ. It is a breathtaking experience to witness.

This moment (to me) symbolizing the two persisting presences tugging and tearing on all our hearts: God and the World. Ironically, all those surrounding the Bishop-Elect individually and organizationally are the most likely candidates to distract him from this prime directive.

The prostration message is simple: God first. This isn’t just for Bishop Holcomb. This visual depiction of The Greatest Commandment is for all of us. First God, then God and Self, and finally Others is the key to a whole life within the chaotic and confusing swirl of competing interests. 

We are called to be conduits of service. Yet, as so many constituents draw down on us, the risk of putting service ahead of God is the path to being burned out and bummed out. How, then, do we remain committed and connected to the source, while not being drained by the calling of one’s work?

This wondrous notion and potential for an aligned, integrated, and fluid series of vigorous relationships is animated by a third persisting presence. Your God-gifted 2-word purpose energizes and makes the desirable outpouring of one’s Body, Mind, and Spirit personal, actionable, and alive, but most of all protected. This believed bond discerns what’s off- or on-purpose and reveals what’s wise to do, delete, or delegate.

Leaders, you don’t have to be a Bishop to commit to God first.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

PS: Here’s my bride and me with Bishop Holcomb

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Daring You To Be A Commonwealth Capitalist

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Let’s get some terms on the table to guide our conversation.

Capitalism is the economic system by which private enterprise is the chief means of production and distribution of goods and services in a nation.

Socialism is an economic and political system whereby the chief means of production is controlled by the government or publicly owned.

A Commonwealth is a nation, state, or political group that is founded on law or agreement to serve the common good or to serve to the advantage of one’s self and others.

Communism is an economic and political system with a single central authority with the collective ownership of property, labor, and means of production and distribution whereby its people are required to serve the greater good or the state’s agenda.

Individualism is a belief in the primary and moral worth of the individual to make decisions, to be self-reliant, and to be free to pursue self-interest.

Collectivism is a belief placing the community’s worth, morality, and interest first.

Materialism is a belief that the personal accumulation of money and physical comfort are the chief aim of the individual, at the exclusion of spiritual or intellectual endeavors.

Idealism is a belief that the basis of all life is rooted in mind, spirit, or soul apart from the material.

Clarify your beliefs to gain deep personal insight on the social, economic, moral, and political foundations defining how you operate in the world as an individual, a partner, a parent, a friend, and a business owner or team member.

Why am I daring you as a business person to be a Commonwealth Capitalist, basically the left side of the above list? You are capable of being an even better leader of your life than you already are. Yet, if you don’t take a stand, you’ll be squashed by your ignorance. On the other hand, better understanding who you are and where you stand provides you a meaningful opportunity to tap into a even deeper anchoring of who you are being and becoming. You may love your specific choices or doubt them, or reject them with greater insight and appreciation thanks to heightened awareness about the underpinnings of your thoughts.

Capitalism is proven to be the greatest system in the world for raising the standard of living for any people group. From the Pilgrims to the Founding Fathers of the USA to today, the ideals of free enterprise, fair competition, personal responsibility, and rule of law have proven to create a prosperous nation. However, raw capitalism left unchecked leads to materialism and greed. Raw capitalism, therefore, must be checked by justice and further moderated by idealism and mercy.

A Commonwealth Capitalist is a business person who eagerly accepts personal responsibility while also embracing and acting upon the moral urging of the soul to do right by others. Their “pursuit of happiness” is not a headlong charge of individual aggrandizement and enrichment. Theirs is a shared and uplifting journey that’s the epitome of the adage “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Be On-Purpose!

 Kevin

Daring Business Owners to Profit the World

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Why does your business exist? Pause and answer. 

Business owner holding cash with sunglasses, promoting profit and success in entrepreneurship.

Over the decades, I’ve posed this question to business leaders and audiences. Here’s the four most popular and consolidated responses of my unvalidated survey:

  • 50% to make money or to profit the shareholders
  • 20% to sell goods or services to customers
  • 20% to provide jobs
  • 10% to raise the standard of living in society

So what did you answer?

The first three accurately describe what businesses do (missions), but not the reason why businesses exist (purpose). Confusing missions as purpose creates an “it’s all about me first” approach to leading a business. Such a self-centered orientation distorts the business and ironically diminishes performance. 

Unfortunately, this is the prevailing principle at work within the CEO-system of business administration. Most business owners are unwittingly placing mission ahead of purpose from ignorance, not malice. Regardless, the adverse effects remain the same.

Purpose provides a point of origin to meaningfully resolve, satisfactorily align, and fluidly blend otherwise competing interests in service to God, self, and others. Purpose (being) informs vision (seeing) and is expressed through its missions (doing) while guided by its values (choosing).

Businesses hold the special opportunity to profit (add value) to the world’s people. Business is first a social construct whose greatest potential to earn, sell, and hire ultimately relies upon improving the lives or standard of living of people — shareholders, team members, customers, vendors, and more. This common good mindset is akin to answering the question, “How does our business make a difference or the world a better place?”

If your business doesn’t have a 2-word purpose, you’ll find in Chief Leadership Officer the suggestion to use “We exist to serve by Increasing Wealth.” One caveat for using wealth (state of weal or well-being) is to embrace the whole person perspective (body, mind, spirit, and financial) plus working and living conditions — one’s standard of living. 

My bet is you don’t have a purpose statement. Rather you have a vision or missions and you’ve haven’t a clue what its costing your company in lost financial profit.

Business has a high and noble role to play in society. We are to profit the world–to make the world a better place. I dare you to re-consider how your business purpose is stated, communicated, and integrated throughout your company.

Let your business reformation begin!

Be On-Purpose!
Kevin

PS: Need some help sorting out purpose, vision, missions, and values. Schedule a time to Pick Kevin’s Brain.

Are You a “Daring” Entrepreneur?

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 In the title, “Daring” is in quotes because we entrepreneurs may be risk-takers but we’re not gamblers. The beauty and artistry of launching a business is that a person can start with nothing more than an idea and bring it to life to enrich peoples’ lives. Daring, however, is best left for daredevils not founders.

Entrepreneurs typically operate in one of the following seven stages. Knowing this prepares you for your journey.

  1. Contemplating: What will it take to quit my job and start a business in my search of independence, opportunity, and wealth?
  2. Enraptured: In the “hands on” start-up of organizing the business — the honeymoon stage.
  3. Captured: All time, money, attention, and energy are imprisoned by this relentlessly needy foundling. 
  4. Emerging: The founder of this thriving business says, “Why didn’t I start this years before?”
  5. Expanding: Scaling a team, culture, and brand. 
  6. Exiting: Who will replace me as the leader?
  7. Exited: Moving on to what’s next.

Navigating from stage 1 through to stage 7 involves integrating an increasingly complex variety of disciplines. Each stage opens to frontier territory with a wondrous confounding set of challenges and learning experiences. Some of these roadblocks will bog down the emerging business leader for days to decades. The School of Hard Knocks carries a high cost of tuition. There is a better way!

May I serve you? I am a lifelong student of business and leadership. I began as a nine-year-old entrepreneur selling candy on the school bus. Business degrees plus a series of failures and successes decades later, authoring bestselling books, and advising top decision makers in all seven stages has honed my talent to cut to the root cause. It’s a jagged path with ups and downs but I can help you flow more fluidly from stage to stage.

Don’t be daring. Work smart. Set your company and team up for success. Recognize financial profit is a net result and not your reason for being in business. Build from your personal 2-word purpose toward the vision in your mind’s eye. Organize, delegate, and serve, and you will likely realize what you set out to achieve and then some.

Be On-Purpose!
Kevin

PS: Got a Puzzling Problem?

Book me for a prepaid 45-minute business growth session. Satisfaction is guaranteed or your money is returned. Learn more at  www.PickKevinsBrain.com

Loving Your Call

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In 1977, Domenic Fusco knew he was called to make movies. At the time it made no sense as answering this would be a major career shift from his electrical engineering degree and sales position. Yet, he trusted and persisted in the belief of his calling. 

Through the decades Domenic and Charlie, his wife, never lost sight of this call. He added technical skills in videography, editing, sound, script writing and pitching, graphic design, and more plus a masters degree and PhD. Her talent for writing and organizing proved to be a prolific duo of content creators of remarkable resources such as The Articles of Transformation and Bible Quick Notes.

Kevin W. McCarthy in a professional portrait for Loving Your Call.

Sunday, February 5, MGM+ streaming services released Murf the Surf, a four-part miniseries documentary about the all-too-real life of Jack Murphy, champion surfer, notorious jewel thief, convicted murderer, and redeemed evangelist. In partnership with Ron Howard’s Imagine Pictures, Domenic is a producer and major content contributor to the story. It only took 46 years!

Watch the documentary series to see how Jack’s life was turned around. Tip: If you have Amazon Prime you can watch the first episode for free. Domenic’s voice is over some of the images and video.

Because of his redemption and positive influence among prisoners, Murf the Surf was miraculously paroled from a release date of A.D. 2244 (Florida prison). Before the parole board, even the state’s head warden provided supporting testimony for Jack’s release.

Shortly afterward, Jack and Domenic, the then-aspiring filmmaker, met. Domenic began accompanying Jack into his Prison Invasion events to videotape this redemptive story of hope for the incarcerated. A 34-year friendship and partnership developed between the two. During this time, Domenic worked with Jack to create a script for a feature length film to be produced shortly.

Are you loving your call enough to pay the price to see it through?Domenic and I have been friends since 2014. We click because we are creatives who appreciate each other’s off-beat senses of humor. Walking with him before, during, and after what culminated in this documentary has been a testament to trusting perseverance. Not all get to enter the Promised Land.

Many consider and still believe Murf the Surf was an unredeemed criminal and con to the end. Others believe he was broken, healed, and poured out serving the incarcerated. Regardless, Domenic will tell you he remained a larger-than-life character throughout.

Was Jack’s conversion for real? Judge for yourself.


Preparing Your 2023 Budget

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October is the traditional time when businesses begin the budgeting process for the coming year. Almost by definition, budgeting is erroneously limited to what fits on an Excel spreadsheet. Managers are asked to pull together their financial needs for people and projects. In turn, they look at last year’s budget and decide what to defend, what to concede, and what to request in the coming budget.

What is intended to be a strategic process gets dumbed down to a negotiation of numbers to achieve a certain return on investment or profit. Overlooked are the organizational Purpose, Vision, Missions, and Values (PVMV) of the Organization. Before you commit your entire 2023, is it time for a PVMV check-up?

Purpose, once articulated in 2 words, remains the same. Values are slow changing, whereas company Vision and Missions are fluid. Here’s where the Chief Leadership Officer, leaders, and team collaborate to clarify the company direction (Vision) and core activities (Missions) within the Purpose and Values. Clarification leads to communication to create alignment and constancy of PVMV in the strategic business-planning process. The budget support this process rather than driving it.

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“Doing More of What You Do Best More Profitably” is the subtitle to The On-Purpose Business Person. Place this refrain top of mind for your 2023 planning horizon. “Doing Best” is directly connected to your company Purpose and its expression in Vision and Missions as governed by Values. “Doing More of What” relates to your Missions — this is your day-to-day activity and your marketing. “More Profitably” translates to operational efficiencies, financial profit, and the value proposition or difference-making your company contributes to the common good of shareholders, team members, vendors, and society.

Leaders look forward. Managers look backward. Avoid the corrupting “Numbers Game” of the typical budget process. In placing your priority on your Purpose, not only do you improve the probability of a solid ROI, but you’ll also create a more meaningful and wholesome workplace that attracts the needed talent to grow and sustain the business and team members.