Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

Career & Work

What Can Your Computer Teach You About Life?

By

 

What defines your life?

Does what defines you necessarily define your future?

In today’s On-Purpose Minute, learn to increase your “computing capacity” with a personal upgrade. Create or write the life you want. The On-Purpose Process is a straight-forward method for rebooting your life and creating what your future can become.

It sounds good, but can it really be that way for you? You never know until you try.

The Want List and Tournament process is a great place to start your journey of becoming the true you. Download the free Discovery Guide preview at http://www.discoveryguide.net and get started today with creating the life you want … on-purpose.

Click here to receive an email when I post new On-Purpose Minutes.

How Good Is Your Life Plan?

By

Be honest with yourself … do you know how to make a life plan?

Do you even have a plan?

Is it a written life plan?

My experience with clients and readers of The On-Purpose Person tells me very few people have any sort of a plan in place for their lives, especially a written plan. Sure, we have ideas and dreams that we ponder now and then, but to take it to the step of writing out a plan is very rare.

The process in The On-Purpose Person is a format and guide for creating a life plan that is very meaningful and gives you a strategic advantage in life.

Imagine a contractor attempting to build a house without blueprints. It makes no sense, yet many of us are building lives without the benefit of a plan.

Do you want a life plan?

Chances are you don’t know how to structure your life and process the information, so you haven’t created one. Here’s where one of our On-Purpose Personal Leadership Coaches might serve you well.

I have access to the all-time, world’s best planner. Drop me a line, briefly share your interest and the help you want. Perhaps you’ll want to meet him?

Be On-Purpose!
Kevin

The On-Purpose Person and Making Life Plans:

“Without a doubt this is the best guide I have seen for creating a meaningful life and plan.”
– Dr. Malcolm E. Hawley, DDS

“The On-Purpose Person is a valuable addition to an important and growing literature on effective time management and leadership. McCarthy brings to life and makes operational powerful ideas that will help all of us make a difference.”
– John W. Rosenblum, PhD, Dean Emeritus, The Darden School

“The best tool I’ve seen for turning good intentions into positive actions. Highly recommended for anybody, but especially for those who need a way to organize unstructured time—like clergy!”
– The Right Reverend William Frey,
Dean, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, retired

“What’s happened to the American Dream? Despite working harder, too many people lack fulfillment, happiness, and emotional security. The On-Purpose Person gets us back on track, organized around what really matters, and equipped with a purpose and plan for thriving in a rapidly changing world.”
– Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, D.O.
Author, Dr. A’s The Habits of Health

“Reading The On-Purpose Person changed my life. The concepts and practical applications detailed in this wonderfully engaging book empowered me to re-focus my personal and professional goals to achieve true inner peace.”
– Gordie Allen
CEO & Professional Sales Trainer, Leads-Plus, Inc.

Are Your Prepositions Working?

By

How are your career and/or business results? Who doesn’t want better results?

The solution you seek lives in one of three business “prepositions.”

Are you:

  • Working IN your business
  • Working ON your business
  • Working WITH your business

Michael Gerber‘s business book, The E-Myth, introduced many of us to the concept of working “in” and “on” your business. Michael nails these two concepts.

Let me add to his equation the concept of working “with” your business.

Watch today’s On-Purpose Business Minute and use the three prepositions to assess your business proposition so you can be on-purpose!

Are You Stuck?

By

(This video originally aired as an On-Purpose Business Minute. In rewriting the blog post, however, I decided to make it an On-Purpose Minute—where it seemed most appropriate.)

Being stuck comes upon us gradually until one day we realize it.

At first, a small panic settles in. We know we can’t afford to waste our days.

Yet hours, days, even weeks go by when we’re “busy”

  • shuffling papers
  • staring at bills
  • responding to emails
  • watching the news in a dulled sense of a former, more confident self

A life stuck in a job, in a marriage, or in the midst of a job search is terrifying and depressing at the same time.

What to do?Something Meaningful to Do

My hope is to offer a spark plus the fuel to get you moving again … and, importantly, back to being on-purpose.

How you get going is a personal matter that is frankly unique to you. There are many ways to get unstuck. The best way is the way that works for you. What matters is that you get unstuck!

Six Steps to Un-Sticking a Stuck Life

First, stop blaming yourself, anyone, anything, or any circumstance. The sooner you can Think Inc! or take 100% responsibility for yourself, your mindset, and your condition then the better and sooner you’ll stop living the blues.

I’ve been there several times in my career. Those dark places where I shut the door to life and wallowed over the injustices “done to me.” Except for true tragedy and grief, most “first world problems” are lifestyle afflictions to our preferences rather than our very existence. Perspective helps!

Second, reconcile your part. In every instance where I’ve been wronged or taken advantage of, I played a part. Generally, I made wrong assumptions, didn’t do my due diligence, allowed impulse to overtake my values system, or somehow denied the best of who I am. 

Third, forgive! Admittedly, you may feel wronged or unjustly punished but dwelling on the offenses of the past is chewing up your present. Now you’re the one victimizing yourself! Stop beating up others and yourself. Forgive generously to live positively.

Fourth, be on-purpose! Life is meaningful and conspiring to make you a better person. “Character building moments” are more than an adage. They’re real if we’ll see them for what they are—lessons in leading our lives. Typically the harshest lessons are the most meaningful in the light of time and distance. Start by uncovering your purpose.

Fifth, decide to be joyful. Yes, that’s right, decide to be joyful. It is a decision of the heart unattached to circumstances, people, and conditions. The book Happiness is a Choice spells out the clinical foundations and practical methods for choosing to live “happily ever after.” Joy is happiness of the heart.

Sixth, take small positive steps daily. Writer Joshua Becker provides 12 intentional actions one can take to choose happiness and joy.

Need a bit more inspiration?

Watch this inspiring video from IAmSecond.com featuring Eric Metaxas where he talks about being trapped in a way of life that is fruitful but isn’t working. Listen and watch as he shares how a different point of view of one man and a meaningful dream transformed his life. Eric also speaks of how “blind faith” is bogus. Eric is the author of the NY Times best-selling biography Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

 

Will You Be a Boom or Bust?

By

The following text of this On-Purpose Business Minute is dedicated to Baby Boomers, but the video is applicable to anyone in, entering, or exiting the workforce.

Think of a Baby Boomer you know—he or she may be your parents or you.

Three big trends are converging to create an economic swirl of circumstances that will define their next twenty to thirty years.

  1. Baby Boomers are now hitting retirement age in record numbers.
  2. The world economy is unstable and so are many retirement and pension plans.
  3. Baby Boomers are retiring from jobs, but not from life, or the desire (need!) to keep earning.

Many Boomers will find themselves with

  • an empty nest
  • plenty of time on their hands
  • a desire to make a difference
  • a smaller retirement nest egg or pension than anticipated

Rather than heading for assisted living, they’ll be doing a “working retirement”—some by choice and others by necessity.

So what’s your plan for retirement?

Many of your friends may be saying, “I want to retire to Florida or Arizona to play golf, eat out, see movies, read books, relax, and visit my grandchildren.” Some of you may be thinking, “I’m interested in beginning my own business.” I hope so!

Perry James is a character appearing in both The On-Purpose Person and The On-Purpose Business Person. He’s a retired gentleman who provides mentoring and consulting services to a variety of small- and medium-sized business owners.

Perry is based on a dear friend and mentor of mine—Perry Nies, an MIT graduate with a Harvard Business School MBA, and retired business executive and owner. When I was in my early thirties Perry engineered me through some true business challenges. To this day we remain friends and are connected through church. At over 90 years of age Perry is an engaged and vital contributor who still consults and is involved in ministries. He’s also a role model for many Boomers of how to have an On-Purpose retirement.

 

The Baby Boom began in 1945. Today, the wave of Baby Boomers is being presented with a remarkable opportunity to dream and plan their “retirement.” Many will become “retired professionally” but seek to keep an active hand and mind in the affairs of business and life. I know for a fact that the Millennial and Gen X Generations need their wisdom, experience, and skills. I’m at the tail end of the Baby Boom and I value their counsel.

What if the most on-purpose years of your career are just around the corner … and you never make the turn because you hadn’t planned on it?

This blog post is simply my way of putting the challenge before the retiring Baby Boomers—keep Booming (and blooming).

  • Plan new businesses
  • Outline books you’ve always wanted to write
  • Offer your talent
  • Be a mentor
  • Stay connected
  • Think ahead
  • Develop your business plan now not later

Once they’re out of the flow of activity, most never return because they’ve fallen behind and the effort to get back up to speed is overwhelming.

Avoid getting caught short at retirement without a life and work plan. Without one, you’re likely to become a Baby Buster instead of a Baby Boomer.

To Do: Begin writing what your future could be. Download the Discovery Guide to help you get started.

Analysis of vintage cars representing economic outcomes.

How’s Work?

By

How’s work?

There’s a question we often get asked. The typical response is something like “Fine” or “OK.”

But is it really?

For many people work translates into a job—a mere means of provision to support the family. A steady income doesn’t mean a steady life.

Work isn’t necessarily fulfilling or rewarding at a deeper level.

It is just a paycheck on the way to the weekend where real life is lived. In today’s economy, it is easy to look around and feel lucky just to have the regular income.how's work

A sad reflection of this reality is the current trend of companies offering work-life balance programs in the workplace. But work-life balance is a myth. These programs, regardless of how well intended they are, reveal a sad reality on both the employer and the employee side.

Our lives and our work are so dangerously enmeshed that we need help separating ourselves from our work.

We’re workaholics in jobs that don’t really matter to us all that much. In other words, fear of loss motivates us more than what we have to gain. Too many of us are resigned to an unhealthy settling for work-life balance as an easy compromise over developing a healthy work-life integration. Have we just given up hope?

Isn’t all this talk of work-life balance code for “my job is sucking the very life out of me, but I need it to pay the bills, so I guess I will die trying to make it work”?

Fortunately, someone in HR has figured out that if we can equip you to learn work-life balance you won’t burn out or die as quickly on the job. This means you’ll keep being productive and won’t be such a drain on the company health care benefits program for a while longer.

Is it just me or is there something horribly skewed in this picture?

What if life and work are true blessings where work is a high and noble expression of our calling—and a steady income? Is this possible?

Can life and work be meaningfully integrated instead of separated and balanced?

Tell me if I’m wrong.

What Is It About This Milestone?

By

(This video was recorded a few years ago, on the event of our daughter, Anne, turning 18.)

It is graduation season. Many young people—and their parents—are facing transition.

It is a milestone for young people in terms of coming to legal age. While parental responsibilities for education aren’t going away anytime soon, it does represent a passage of sorts for all of us. It also presents parents with new options as we begin living more as empty nesters.

What’s your advice to parents about redefining how to best create amazing adult children relationships?

Please share your thoughts by using the comment section below (not email) to help us have a parents’ guide to this new beginning. You’ll help a number of parents facing the same transition.

  • Are your children all adults? Having crossed this threshold, what advice do you have to offer?
  • Have you recently crossed the threshold into adulthood or do you have a memory of your 18th birthday that brings a bit of wisdom or even levity to the matter? Please share it below.

I posted this question on my Facebook page on my daughter’s birthday a few years ago. Here’s some of the advice from my Facebook friends about making a positive parent connection as our children continue to mature:

Michael McMillan – Congratulations, Kevin. Our 3 have passed that milestone, too… and I have no advice 🙂

Mary Tomlinson – My favorite example is that we go from being responsible for them as parents to becoming more of an “advisor,” and being there for them when they need us and staying out of their way when they don’t need us.

Chris Taylor – From the words of Robert Munsch, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as you’re living, my baby you’ll be.”

Chris’ quote comes from the book “Love You Forever.” When Charles and Anne were little we read this wonderful book to them over and over. In fact, it still brings a tear to my eye as I reflect on those special times with them when they easily fit in a curled arm.

Is Your Work Working?

By

How does one meaningfully align and engage one’s heart in his or her work?

Is work truly just a job or is it an expression of something deeper?

The On-Purpose® Principle (Pp<=>Po) is about “The purpose of the person (Pp) aligned with the purpose of the organization (Po).” Today, let’s further dissect The On-Purpose Principle up close and personal.

By the way, the Purpose of the Organization doesn’t just refer to a business. A marriage, family, hospital, agency, team, department, church, or club are just a few examples of the many organizations where this is applicable.

TOPBPerson cover
Click the Cover to Purchase

So how do you make your work work?

The clean and clear articulation of your purpose is the starting point. After that, decide to infuse your purpose into your decisions and actions. Your thoughts, spiritual posture, and language will begin the shifting or (to borrow a sailing term) “coming about” to catch the full strength and flow for the design of your life.

The difference is like bumping along in your car on a washboard dirt road versus getting on the interstate. The car and driver are the same but your life is on a smooth track.

All organizational development is within The On-Purpose Principle.

If you stay on the surface of it, the simplicity of this “equation” can deceive you. Ponder it for a bit, and you’ll discover that almost all of leadership and management theory is fundamentally attempting to create high alignment and integration of the purpose of the person with the purpose of the organization.

So if you truly seek to be a leader of your life and a person others would follow, invest some time to understand The On-Purpose Principle. You can read more about it in The On-Purpose Business Person.