What is your life’s purpose?
My life’s purpose is to live and lead with passion, authenticity, and an abundance mindset.

How are you living your purpose?
Service, fun, and connection are non-negotiable values that drive how I interact on the world. On the professional side, I have a coaching and consulting business with a mission statement that is the same as my life purpose. I provide training and coaching services to help clients live and lead authentically so they have higher levels of fulfillment and satisfaction. I am also a trainer of coaches and love teaching them the skills to help others live in alignment with their purpose. I recently moved closer to my parents so I can be a greater support. I am now looking for ways to contribute to the local community…more to come in that area. Every day is energizing because each day brings me closer to the man I want to be.

How did you find your purpose?
Service had always been a high family value and I was always helping neighbors and friends. In university, I went into education and was involved in community volunteer projects. I also served in ministry as a sign language interpreter and lay counselor. With over 30 years as an educator (i.e., special educator, administrator, training and development), I quickly learned that people struggled with enjoying life because their either lacked confidence or gave in to pressures of the expectations of others. It didn’t matter if I was working with students, staff, or parents. I spent a lot of time providing encouragement and advice to help them succeed. While I found it very satisfying, I realized many became dependent on me for support and solutions.

During my coach training program, I realized that my approach wasn’t empowering people to sustain what they wanted so I began to use a different approach. Rather than focus on the task and actions, I learned help people unleash their greatness by focusing on the foundation (i.e., mindset). The moment I did that, I began to learn more about people, develop a deeper appreciate for the human experience, and learned how to create my own path to personal fulfillment. It’s amazing how much you learn about yourself as you learn about others. Probably one of the most profound learning opportunities came in 2011 when I decided to be an altruistic kidney donor. That single event is what brought it all together for me.

What advice do you have for purpose seekers?
There isn’t a secret formula and you don’t have to get it “right” the first time so here are some questions to get started. Remember we are always evolving and adjusting all the time.

• What are the things you love most about yourself?
• What do you love most about life?
• Describe the type of people you are drawn to and their characteristics. Why are these important to you?
• What values are non-negotiables in your life?
• If you could do one thing every day that would bring you joy, what would it be?

Reflection: Look for themes…beyond the answers. What patterns/types of responses do you notice? Begin to integrate these things into your life. Your purpose isn’t about the things you do, its understanding who you are and living in alignment with that. The actions are merely the manifestation of your purpose.

What resources do you recommend?
You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
10% Happier Mindfulness app – Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics

Contact John Bond
Email: john@jlbcoaching.net
Websites: www.jlbcoaching.net and www.UnleashedToLead.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnBondCoaching
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlbond

John is The Reset Coach® who provides leadership and personal development coaching to help clients reconnect, recreate, and bring to realization the things that align purpose with passion. In addition to his coaching and consulting business, John has experience as mid-level leader, leadership development trainer, and consultant. He gets fired up about new discoveries, the simple things in life, laughter, and connection. As a roller coaster enthusiast and owner of three Labrador retrievers, John finds the fun in the mundane by approaching life with excitement and wonder.