Simon Sinek: "Purpose Can Not Be Rationalized"

Simon Sinek via Swissmiss:

Because a true sense of purpose is deeply emotional, it serves as a compass to guide us to act in a way completely consistent with our values and beliefs. Purpose does not need to involve calculations or numbers. Purpose is about the quality of life. Purpose is human, not economic.

It's too bad that we're conditioned to think that altruism and money are incompatible. In posting this, Simon Sinek tells the story of how he is choosing not to work with an organization whose values are not consistent with his.

It's too bad because I'd entirely agree with him except for that last bit. To be human is to be economic. Where purpose isn't "economic" suggests that the purpose is by definition a self serving one and has no value to others - but with alignment (given the example that Sinek gives), comes real satisfaction.

This isn't about sacrificing your values but being true to them. It sometimes means difficult tradeoffs, choices and yes, even costs in the short run - but as an altruist, in the long run, I tend to believe that doing the right thing tends to also be the profitable one.