I've wanted to attend The Purpose Summit for a while because my friend, Davin Salvagno is the founder, and I love the vision. However, the dates didn't line up again this year because I had committed to another speaking event, but then that organization switched their dates. It freed me up, so I reached out to Davin to let him know I was thinking about coming, and I wondered if my "Do It Afraid" keynote could serve him and the summit.
He told me that their speaking docket was full. I figured as much, but it was worth a shot, right?
Here's what I love about Davin. He stayed on the line, if you will. He kept the conversation going when he didn't have to keep it going. He knew I was jumping into the deep end of the speaking pool by traveling in the offseason to speak and especially share my "Do It Afraid" keynote which is my wild story of becoming an NFL Chaplain. He had heard it before. He encouraged me to keep going, and he offered me some massive advice. This is who he is. That's his purpose.
Davin founded PurposePoint in 2018 with a simple thought - "what if there were an entity that could help organizations engage their original purpose for going into business, help inspire their people around that purpose and their contributions to it, and help them make the impact in this world that they had envisioned." When founding PurposePoint, Davin said, "Every organization starts with a purpose, they invite people to join them in that purpose and start putting processes in place to support those people. They then start to measure performance and hopefully realize a profit. But all too often they get so caught up in process, performance, and profit, that they forget the purpose for which they started."
This not only happens in organizations, but it happens in our individual lives as well. As a Pastor and NFL Chaplain, I have watched people get off track or miss their purpose because they're chasing after a bigger paycheck. Chasing a better lifestyle. Chasing their "neighbor's" lifestyle. Even if they finally catch it, they don't even know who they are anymore.
I've watched NFL athletes struggle with who they are and what their purpose is beyond the game of football. I've sat with NFL coaches, who are at the pinnacle of their profession, yet are searching for and asking what their purpose is within and beyond the game. There's an identity crisis waiting to happen because they think what they do for a job is who they are as a person.
It's not just NFL players and coaches. It can be all of us.
Please hear me on this...
You are not what you do. From pastors to pediatricians. From farmers to freelancers. From teachers to talent scouts. You are not what you do.
A number on a paycheck cannot be your purpose. It's much deeper than that.
Driving that kind of car or living in that neighborhood cannot be your identity. It's much deeper than that.
That particular position in that certain company cannot be your uniqueness. It's much deeper than that.
A title on a job description does not define you.
You are not what you do.
However...listen up...this next part is really important.
What you do should flow out of who you are.
What were you created for? What were you put on this planet for? What is deep inside you that you feel drawn to do right now? What is the gnawing dream in your heart that won't go away?
I can tell you this for certain...you were not created simply for a number on a paycheck. Your purpose is something you'd sacrifice for. You would go without or raise the money for it because it must be done.
However, many of us don't do it because we have to get paid. I get it, but this is also why many of us lay awake at night and mid-life crises are so prevalent in our culture.
This is why I've become so passionate about inspiring people to embrace the fear of the unknown so they can jump into their God-given purpose. If we don't do what we are created for, there will be this nagging in our gut when we lay our head on the pillow at night.
A person may "have it all" but if they're not living from their purpose, they'll lie awake and feel like they have nothing at all.
Now you can see why I love what Davin is doing at The Purpose Summit. His why is my why. His passion is my passion. Although our jobs are very different, our purpose is the same.
I invite you* to experience it with me. It will be held April 29 - May 1, 2024, in Charlotte, NC with inspiring keynotes at The Revelry located in Camp North End, and insightful breakout sessions and team-building experiences at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Oh, and by the way, you'll never believe this...Davin reached back out to me and invited me to speak! I'll be sharing my story of becoming an NFL Chaplain at The Purpose Summit! I can't believe it, but I'm doing it afraid. LET'S GO!!!!!
*If you're thinking about coming, reach out to me for a discount code.
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