Purpose: The Only Thing That Will Sustain You in Leadership

In leadership, there are three primary drivers that push people forward: Pay, Prestige, and Purpose. Most leaders lean into all three at some point, but only one will take you the distance—and that's Purpose.

Let's break it down.

1. Pay: The Transactional Trap

Let's be real: money matters. We all need to pay the bills and provide for our families. But if your motivation starts and ends with the paycheck, you're not giving yourself the best opportunity to be significant. Money is always a short term motivator. It does not last. Pay is a transaction. You give time and energy, you get money in return. That's not a mission—that's a trade. And when the pressure cranks up, and the rewards don't match the effort, you'll start looking for the exit.

The hard truth?  

You can be financially successful and still be a complete failure at significance.  

Money can buy moments—but it can't buy meaning.

2. Prestige: A False Narrative 

Titles. Awards. Applause. They feel good. We all want to be recognized. But prestige is a slippery motivator—it fades as fast as it arrives.

If you're chasing status, you're building your foundation on a mirage. Prestige is a spotlight, not a compass. It shines for a moment, then moves on. Leadership isn't about being important—it's about doing what's important.

Prestige can open a few doors. But only purpose will keep you walking through them.

3. Purpose: The Anchor to Leadership 

Here's the truth: Purpose is the only motivator that's both sustainable and transformational. It changes lives for the better. 

Purpose gives your leadership:

- Direction: It tells you where you're going and why it matters. When everything else gets noisy or chaotic, purpose is the quiet voice that says, "Stay the course."

- Resilience: When the work gets hard (and it will), purpose keeps you from giving up. You're not doing it for a bonus or a title—you're doing it because it matters.

- Clarity: Purpose helps you say "no" to distractions and "yes" to the things that actually move the mission forward. It keeps you aligned and consistent.

Leaders without purpose drift. They get knocked around by circumstances and opinions.  

But leaders with purpose? They stand tall when others sit down. They lead when others retreat. They endure when others quit.

Purpose gives your leadership a foundation. 

How Do You Find Your Purpose?  

Not in theory. Not in a book. But in real life. Here are five no-BS ways to uncover it:

1. Look at What You Naturally Gravitate Toward

Pay attention to what fires you up without being told. What conversations make you lean in? What problems do you *want* to solve? Purpose is usually hiding in plain sight.

2. Notice What Motivates You

You've probably already tasted purpose—you just didn't name it. Think about the situations, people, or causes that keep pulling you in. Patterns reveal purpose.

3. Examine Your Pain or Struggles 

Sounds tough, but it's true: purpose is often birthed from pain. The hardships you've endured might be the very thing that qualifies you to lead others through theirs. If you endured something difficult and kept pushing forward, you were probably already walking in your purpose.  

4. Who Do You Want to Help?

Purpose always has a direction—it moves us toward someone or something. Who do you want to impact? Who do you want to help? That's where your purpose starts to grow.

5. Trust What Won't Let You Quit

Even when you're tired. Even when no one's watching. Even when there's no applause. That thing you *keep* doing—that's purpose. Purpose is what keeps whispering, "Don't stop," long after the noise dies down.

Final Word

Pay will give you a paycheck.  

Prestige might give you a pat on the back.  

But Purpose? Purpose gives you a cause and something to believe in bigger than yourself. It gets you up when life knocks you down. It keeps you going even if you want to stop; it drives performance, it sharpens vision, and it fuels significance.

Leaders don't just need motivation—they need direction. And purpose is both. Find yours! 

- Dean Crisp