Thirty-five years ago, author Aaron Hurst’s own uncle Marc Porat coined the term “Information Economy,” predicting the rise of Silicon Valley and the internet giants. Since that time, Hurst, CEO of Imperative and Founder of Taproot Foundation, has observed an economic shift emerging from the need for Purpose, which he terms “The Purpose Economy.” In his book, Hurst makes the case for why our economy is becoming more Purpose-driven and how organisations (including hospitality businesses and boutique hotels) can thrive in light of this shift. Hurst draws upon his experience catalysing the pro bono service market, research, case studies and personal anecdotes, to reveal how this new economy is making an impact – for people and planet!

#1: There are different types of Purpose: Personal Purpose, Social Purpose and Societal Purpose.

Personal Purpose is the pursuit of passion; something deeply personal. As Hurst puts it, “We find Purpose when we do things we love, attempt new challenges, and express our voice to the world.” Social Purpose is about creating meaningful connections; sharing your Purpose with people you love. And research shows that Purpose is better when shared - after all, relationships provide more meaning to humans than anything else out there. Lastly, there is Societal Purpose: making a bigger impact on society as a whole. And that doesn’t mean you have to end world hunger – you can derive Societal Purpose through your existing work if you’re able to connect it to the bigger picture.

#2: There are different types of Purposeful organisations: values-driven organisations, excellence-driven organisations and impact-driven organisations.

Hurst has identified three types or Purpose-driven organisations. There is the values-driven organisation, where values are embedded into the organisation’s core and drive all decision-making. There is the organisation that strives to build excellence, where the Purpose is its craft and its focus on producing quality work. And lastly, there is the impact-driven organisation, which seeks to take responsibility for and have a more positive impact on its stakeholders, people and planet.

#3: There are different ways to embed Purpose into your organisation: through customers, through employees and through the supply chain.

Hurst notes that there are three ways in which Purpose is typically emphasised within an organisation. The first is by delivering Purpose to customers through a service or product that gives them a greater personal, social or societal Purpose. The next is by giving employees a sense of Purpose through their work. And the last approach to Purpose is building it into the supply chain - considering the people and companies with which you partner, practicing fair trade principles, empowering local communities, etc. The organisations that will perform well in this new economy are those that empower individuals to have a certain self-awareness about Purpose, and connect it to their own organisation's Purpose.

How can your organisation lead with Purpose? Hurst has some recommendations:

• Remove silos by combining functions to be in service of the larger community as a whole
• Community organise in a way that motivates and leads people to lead themselves
• Build community leaders by empowering and engaging your people
• Work without managers by creating a culture of coaching and support that doesn’t require top-down hierarchy
• Make your leaders conductors by pointing people in the right direction, instead of pushing them in the right direction

“Purpose is not a noun, it is a verb. It is about how we work. We experience purpose when we do something that’s greater than ourselves. We experience purpose when we push ourselves and grow. We experience purpose as part of a community.”

Thanks for following along on our boutique hospitality consultancy’s never-ending path to Purpose! We’d love to hear from you! What do you think about “The Purpose Economy?” How is your hospitality business or boutique hotel adapting to thrive in this new era? Comment below.

Lastly, support a local bookshop by buying “The Purpose Economy” here: https://bookshop.org/.

The main idea behind “Everything is Figureoutable,” obviously, is that everything in life is figureoutable! Whatever it is you want to achieve, whatever that ONE thing is, there is always a way to achieve it – no matter the obstacles you face or excuses you come up with. According to Marie, it’s about training your brain to think more positively and break down any dream into manageable steps. In her book, she presents those 9 key steps to figuring out any obstacle in life, and gives the reader practical Insight to Action Challenges or exercises to help make them happen. What you’ll discover: “Everything is Figureoutable” is more than just a mentality; it’s a practical, actionable discipline to help guide you through life and achieve your one thing.

#1: Train your brain

To achieve results, you need to train your brain for growth by eliminating excuses, trying new things and surrounding yourself by those who inspire. And, be willing to put in the work toward achieving your one thing.

#2: Believe

Everything in life starts with a belief, so don’t be scared to believe in your dream. Because people believed in their dreams is the reason why there’s good music, nice cars, delicious restaurants – and so much more to enjoy.

#3: Eliminate excuses

You – and only you - are responsible for your life. Every time you say you can’t do something, it’s not because you actually can’t, it’s because you won’t. So get rid of the excuses.

#4: Deal with fear

Fear is only a danger when it stops you from pursuing your dream. The antidote to fear is action, because only by acting does your dream have the chance of becoming reality.

#5: Define your dream

Here’s the connection to “The One Thing”: figure out what it is you want, paint that picture in your head and never give up until you have it. 

#6: Start before you're ready

There is never a good time to start pursuing your one thing; there will always be obstacles and challenges. But again, action is the antidote to fear, so jump into the uncertainty.

#7: Aim for progress not perfection

Perfection is unattainable. Instead, focus on simply progressing, because progress puts you into a productive mindset and sets you free from the stress and burden of being perfect.

#8: Refuse to be refused

There will always be people intent on bringing you down. Don’t let them! Be the person who refuses to give up despite people telling you that you’re not talented enough, that your dream is dumb, etc.

#9: Remember the world needs your special gift

You have a special gift that no one else has, so don’t keep it from the world. Embrace your differences and use them to help change the world in a way only you can.

In order to help you apply the learnings of this book and take the steps toward achieving your dream, we recommend going through the Insights to Action Challenges that are found at the end of each chapter.

These challenges are questions and prompts to get you thinking – really thinking – about your dream and how you’ll achieve it. Sit down with a pad of paper and pen and go through them one by one! You’ll surely have some illuminating AHA moments and breakthroughs.

“You can do whatever you set your mind to if you just roll up your sleeves, get in there, and do it. Everything is figureoutable.”

We sincerely hope this book will change your attitude and motivate you to act! If you haven’t done so already, we recommend reading “The One Thing” and follow it up with this inspiring book so that you’re motivated to figure out how you’ll achieve your one thing – then go out and actually do it! 

Lastly, to be further inspired by Marie Forleo, head here: https://everythingisfigureoutable.com

All photos taken from https://everythingisfigureoutable.com

In this number one bestseller, Keller and Papasan make the case that, behind every successful person, is their ONE thing. By focusing one’s energy on one thing at a time, versus getting caught up in many little things, people benefit from more rewarding lives. Why? More distractions = less productivity = less time for what matters most (your own well-being, your loved ones, your biggest personal goal, your biggest career goal, your spiritual practice, etc.). To help you narrow in on your one thing, the book presents practical methods for cutting through the clutter, achieving better results in less time, dialling down the stress, mastering what matters most, and more. The key message: less is more! Now that’s something we can agree with.

#1: Don’t go big. Go small.

The common belief is that big success takes time and effort. That’s why people fill their calendars with appointments and create long to-do lists, which just leads to overload. They get lost trying to do too much, and as a result, achieve too little. The result? They settle for less or they abandon their dreams altogether. As the authors state, “Success demands singleness of purpose. You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.” Think of your one thing as your “someday” goal. Once you’ve figured that out, you need to identify how many dominoes you need to line up – and then knock down – in order to achieve it.

#2: In that vein, use your time wisely.

It may surprise you, but being successful doesn’t in fact take that much discipline. The authors follow the 80/20 principle, which states that 20% of your actions will produce 80% of your results. Once you’ve decided on your one thing, then you need to identify the 20% (those “high-leverage” activities) that create the 80%. Set aside the time to focus on them – without distraction or multitasking – ideally every morning until they are done. After 66 days, which is how long it takes for a habit to kick in, this will become second-nature for you.

#3: Purpose, priority and productivity go hand-in-hand.

At MAp, we are big on purpose, so this message really resonates with us. Your one thing is your purpose, and you should use it as your guidance compass in every aspect of your life. However, purpose has the power to shape our lives only in direct proportion to the power of the priority we connect it to. As in, purpose without priority is powerless. When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you become a more productive person. And - when you become more productive, you produce more value and get the success you want.

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

To figure out what that step is, first answer the question: What's the one thing I can do, such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?

Next, the book presents a host of practical applications to achieving your one thing:

• Create a success list as compared to a to-do list
• Say “no” more
• Think of yourself as a surgeon in order to avoid distraction
• Reserve four hours of non-interrupted time from your day only to work on your ONE thing
• Break down your big goals into the steps you need to take in order to achieve them

“Success demands singleness of purpose. You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.”

We truly hope this book is the one thing you need to get you on your way to achieving bigger and better results in your life! It sure has helped us to prioritise what truly matters. So tell us, what’s your ONE thing? Comment below.

Lastly, support a local bookshop by buying “The One Thing” here: https://bookshop.org/