Let’s face it, we’re all busy – the ordinary chores, errands, meetings, phone calls, paperwork, not to mention the typical stresses of life, it all whirls around us with a slightly irritating hum that tends to fade into the background of our lives.

What keeps us going? Why do we do what we do? And why do some do it better than others? What propels us to weather the drudgery of daily existence to feast on those delectable moments of breakthrough and victory that seem to make it all worthwhile?

In his classic book “Mastery,” George Leonard comments that our fast-paced, sound-bite driven culture has hypnotized us into thinking that pleasure occurs only at the time of accomplishment, and not necessarily throughout the journey it took to get there. In essence, this tricks us into accepting an hour of pleasure in exchange for fifty, a hundred or several hundred hours of “pain,” the passage of pain of having worked hard and invested fully to arrive at that destination.

Leonard points out that there is something inherently wrong with this formula. Isn’t it possible that you could find significant pleasure in the process of achieving, perhaps a different flavour of pleasure from the delight of fruition, but pleasure nevertheless?

And what keeps us present and vigilant? Nothing works better than a sense of purpose, a reason to persist, an incentive that fulfills you more than any other use of that time and energy would. Your purpose is the driving force behind your actions, and you’ll need clarity of purpose to be precise, passionate and thorough in carrying out your plan, in spite of whatever obstacles.

Using your purpose as a lens that focuses your worldview makes you more productive, more disciplined and more attractive. Developing certainty about why you do what you do sparks you to find another gear, and ignites something more inside you that you may not have realized was there.

Learning to enjoy the process, wherever you find yourself in it, is a sign of visionary leadership. By seeing your ultimate objectives vividly and in detail, by remaining steadfast in your positive expectancy and commitment, and by concentrating your power on what’s most important to you, you will get more out of yourself and generate the winning edge that will put you over the top.

In challenging times, reconnect with your purpose – it will give you shelter from the storm.