Wow! It’s 2016. I hope your new year is going well so far!
As promised, I’m back and ready to take on another year of All Things Leadership, sharing the things I’ve learned and am learning in my own leadership journey. One thing I know is that just when I think I’ve got it figured out, another experience or challenge shows me that I still have much to learn. It seems that every day I come across someone or something that teaches more about the art of leadership. Sometimes it happens because I stumble across a seed of wisdom, read a new textbook (something that never seems to stop in my doctoral program on strategic leadership); or have someone cross my path who shows me something about myself or my leadership style that needs work! With that in mind, I want to introduce you to someone with whom I’ve recently connected who is teaching me a ton about working with the fastest growing generational cohort in the workforce – Millennials.
His name is Paul Sohn and I was introduced to him by one of my professors. Paul is a wonderful example of a millennial leader who has sought God’s direction in his life and decided that instead of allowing life to dictate his attitudes and actions, he will remain the leader of his own life, with God’s help and direction, of course! In the next couple of weeks Paul is releasing his new book, Quarter-life Calling: How to Find Your Sweet Spot in Your Twenties. It is written by a Millennial for Millennials, however, it has profound wisdom for anyone who wants to live a life of purpose, doing the very things that the God of universe designed them to do. I believe that people from every generation, from Traditionalists to Boomers to Gen X will benefit from this book, even though they may not fully understand the uniquenesses of the Millennial generation and the culture of which Paul speaks.
I have often said, “Life is too long to not love what you’re doing for a living.” I believe that God created each of us with unique talents and a specific reason for being born at this particular time in history. The fact that we are here right now is not an accident. Plus, I believe God wants us to live life joyously and to be fulfilled by the work we do. So, hating our job isn’t an option! We may be in a difficult situation for a season, but we can and should always be striving to improve our circumstances, growing into new and better potentialities. Early on in Paul’s book, you will learn how he lived this principle. He was in a great job and had a great life (by most standards), but he got to a point at which he realized he was “miserable!” He knew that he wasn’t living the life he wanted or knew he was created to live. There are a lot of people who are miserable like Paul was, but the difference is that Paul had the courage to change his life. It’s a great story that will inspire you.
I can’t tell you everything about the book in this brief review, but one of the foundational themes in it is the importance of living a life of purpose that brings value to others. Paul states, “We measure our lives based on the wrong thing, the temporal pursuits and passing fads, which do not deliver true meaning and fulfillment.” He relates his own experience of discovery and discusses examples of people throughout the ages (from biblical figures to modern sports heroes) who have grappled with their own sense of purpose and value in life. Paul introduces the topic of “whole-life stewardship,” which each of us can apply to how well we are using that with which we’ve been gifted by God. Paul challenges us to ask ourselves if we are serving God and others, or merely our own self-focused desires. Paul challenges the reader to look within and be honest about the motives that drive their attitudes and behaviors.
Quarter-life Calling is a book which I wish I had had available when I was in my twenties. If I had, I’m sure that I would have avoided many of the difficulties through which I had to learn the hard way. I encourage everyone to read this book, and especially to give it to the Millennials in your life. I have three children who all fall into the millennial generation and I plan to make sure each have a copy. The book will be available on Amazon on January 18. The official hashtag for the book is #QuarterLifeCalling and Paul’s Twitter handle is @pauljsohn. For Instagram it’s paul.j.sohn. Paul’s leadership website, Salt & Light, is linked to mine on the All Things Leadership page.
One more quote from Paul that lines up perfectly with how I try to encourage others as I lead them:
“You’re not an accident. You weren’t mass-produced and stamped from an assembly line. Rather, you were intentionally designed, specially gifted, and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Creator and Author of life.”
If we each keep that in mind, we are certainly positioned to find, as Paul describes, our “sweet spot.”
Lead well.