Transcript
Join Gail Kraft and her guest host, Jolanda Logan, Marketing Strategist & Consultant. and founder of JoLo Sparkles Marketing as they discuss the concept of finding purpose and how the pursuit of purpose can actually get in your way.
Listen as they discuss this topic from different points of view and help you understand what purpose might be for you and when it’s time to make conscious choices that are supportive of your pursuit of happiness.
You can reach my cohost, Jolanda Logan, Marketing Strategist and Consultant at JoLo Sparkles at marketing@JoLosparkles.com
Gail: Hey everybody, Gail Kraft here from the Empowering Process Podcast where we’re going to talk about your purpose, power and being present. Today we have with us Jolanda Logan Marketing Strategist & Consultant, she actually works on editing my podcast, and a few other things on the side, and she’ll probably be doing more with me. She’s amazing to work with, and she’s joining me today for the Ask Me Anything segment. We’re going to just hold a conversation about things that interest her, and I guess the first conversation, which is the one that you really, really want to know about is to know what I mean when I say finding your purpose. We talked a little bit about that, but when you think about purpose, Jolanda, what are some of the things that come to your mind?
Jolanda: Sure, well, I think purpose is a heavy word because everyone tries to find their purpose. It’s like the age-old question, “What is the purpose of life and what am I doing here?” I think a lot of times people can kind of try to hone that into “what are my interests? What are my talents? What are my what comes naturally to me?”
And I think the bigger part of purpose is not just what you can put out, but how you can affect people.
How can I take this thing, this power that I have and really apply it for the greater good?
I kind of see it like an internal to external type of idea.
Gail: Most interesting, so purpose, you’re right, it is heavy, and it is complicated. So, I like to simplify it a little bit and maybe simplify it a lot.
First of all, lighten up. you know we’re not here for any great reason. You know there might be a couple of people, Gandhi was here for a reason; Christ was here for a reason, but for the most of us, we’re here to play. We’re here to experience.We’re here to have fun.
Look at it as God or the Universe or whatever power that created us said there is a playground over there. Go have fun?
So, lighten it up first of all and just have fun.
The second thing is when I talk about purpose with clients, I like to talk in broad strokes, so rather than being specific, we want to be bring it up a little bit and maybe actually bring it up a lot of bit and think of life as a category because there’s so many things that you can do underneath the broad strokes.
I’ll tell you an example of the last client that I wrapped up with just recently, and you know he came looking for purpose, and I did tell him that you know, your purpose is to play.
Though he felt that way when we were done. He’s really enjoying life. But he had this pressure of feeling like, ”I’m successful in business. Whatever I want to do, I am able to do.” Which he is. “I have money. I have a nice home. I have a beautiful wife. I have nice son, and I’m still feeling empty. I’m looking for my purpose.”
So, what you’re looking for is to fill that emptiness.
Why are you feeling empty?
What I do with my clients is a thing called a Soul Realignment. So yes, guys, we’re going to get woo-woo here.
I am a Soul Realignment Practitioner. What does that mean?
It means that we all have a certain vibrational energy and energy will be something else that Yolanda and I will talk about.
We have a certain energy that means we have a gift that was given to us upon creation. And if we know what that gift is, and we make choices based on that gift, we will have abundance and happiness and joy in our life.
And when we’re out of sync, I call it being dysfunctional with it, things show up that we don’t want to show up.
So, this client that I was working with, we did our little soul realignment, and he came out as a Communicator. And his response to me was “I hate writing. I am not a communicator.”
I’m like, “Well, you know communication is a broad category when you think of communication you can be a writer, you can be a speaker. You can be a leader. You can be a storyteller.
I actually led him to a podcast where a woman actually makes a living as a storyteller, and the podcaster was interviewing her so that my client could see that there are other ways to do that.
When he did his homework, his first homework assignment to me, he is describing this place that he is going to be working in five years. and he’s talking about the structure of the building and the glass is all around, so everybody gets to see outside and partake in nature and what they see. He describes the trees and the mountains and the waterfall in the stream.
What do you mean you’re not a communicator? You just gave me a whole story of an office space.
And so, we discovered that he was frustrated with the act of writing because he’s dyslectic. Being a little bit of that way myself, in fact, a lot of a bit that way. We talked about the challenges of that and how to overcome those challenges, and so he started at first recording a book.
Then he started journaling a book, and then he purchased software that is specifically for authors so that he could write his book.
So that and a whole bunch of other things that were overcome. He is now a writer.
The broad category is where we want to go. Now some of those categories can be vague, right?
I mean for me and my category, if you will, is truth.
What do you do with that?
My gift is I’m going to tell you the truth, but I’m a seer which means I can take, so no, I’m not a Mystic that can see the future, but in a way I can.
Because when you work with me and we start planning out a business plan which some of my clients we go away on a retreat and do this.
I can see the trajectory of where your plan is going.
And I can see where there are obstacles in the way that made me an amazing project manager because I could see risks that others couldn’t before they even manifested and prepare for them and create risk management plans or adjust where we’re going.
So, what about when you think of a broad stroke “truth?” You can’t get much broader than that, except for my clients who are manifestos. That’s when I’m like, “So what do you want do? You need to create something.”
And that would be someone like your serial entrepreneur.
I knew a woman in California, when I first met her, she actually said “what I do is I’m a serial entrepreneur. “
She was actually closing down a business she was involved with in 2010 – 2011. I mean, right after the crash, right? She opens up a spa.
Now spas are closing left and right.
She opens up a spa and within five years it became one of the top spas in San Diego.
She sold the spa, and she took that money and what did she do?
She invested it in a software application that was being developed that was really really cool right?
And when that money was done, and that project was over, she left.
That’s what I mean by serial entrepreneur. It’s when you want to create something, but you don’t want to stay there because now it becomes like a job.
And so, the joy for them, the playground for them, is in the act of creation.
So, when we talk about purpose… you know you were talking about some of the things that you do. What you’re passionate about, but that’s not your purpose. So, let’s talk about some of that.
Jolanda: Sure, so I realized a very long time ago like I’m in my mid to late 30s right now and I realized when I was a child that like, “Whoa, people get on stage for a living and make people laugh.”
You know, when I first found out what a comedian was, I mean watching Saturday Night Live and all of that, I just had this thing where I was like, “I could do that. I’m going to do that. “
And it was kind of my life plan as a child that I would be this famous comedian, right?
But then you start working and then that’s when I picked up the passion of marketing. And you know how much I love that and all of the applications of it because it’s not data entry right! There are so many facets to marketing that was just keeping me really interested.
So, it was when I was about 30. I think it was 31, it was a New Year’s Eve and I had just said, you know, what is my “Jolanda’s” New Year’s resolution? Not anything to do with my family or my career or anything. And I was like, Wow, I have never taken one step towards comedy.” and I just realized that it was something I always assumed I could do. And you know it was interesting. And I consumed a lot of comedy and really enjoyed it, but I haven’t gone out there and done it.
And that was my goal that year was to do it.
So, I started.
I did a couple of improv classes.
Then I went right into my comedy workshops and I’ve been kind of dabbling in it ever since.
And sometimes a few months will go by and I’ll say man, I really need to book an open mic just to prove to myself I can still do it. Where I’m saying like I remember my lines and you know I can riff a little bit, and then there is applause.
When you know applause or laughs are where I’m assuming they’re going to be and things are going good, right?
But then, you know I am also a martial artist, so I do Muay Thai kickboxing and I also trained Brazilian jiu jitsu.
And I mean that is a three or four day of my week religiously, you know, we’re a martial arts family, so that’s a big passion of mine.
I would become an instructor tomorrow if there was an open spot, you know, and that’s a huge part of my life, but.
Gail: It would be really interesting to find out your broad stroke.
Jolanda: Right, and to go I mean to go back to the marketing and the passion.
I feel like the purpose is tied into that, because it’s the community, the help, you’re not necessarily volunteering, but being helpful.
I’m a chatterbox. I’m going to give you so much free information that you could apply right now.
But the bottom line is business owners are so busy in the day-to-day that they can hear all of that, but they’re not necessarily going to take the time to apply it.
And then, that’s where I kind of bridge that gap and get things done.
And there’s such a value to that to get, you know, to turn those ideas and to actual apply, you know, to tactics for their business.
Gail: So, is it the applied tactics for their business or is it the response that you get from your client?
Jolanda: Well, it’s kind of altogether, because even, you know I was laughing with my husband the other day where I mean, I’m on my phone and I’m scrolling, but I’m scrolling through the Adobe affects Instagram page for videos on, you know, just kind of things that are out there that people are doing now on these apps.
So, I think it’s kind of everything interests me the, “oh now I can do this,” or “oh you know what, three months ago, if I knew that it would have changed this project.” So, the next time I have a project like that you know so it’s kind of it’s like addicting to me.
Gail: So, is that the creation? We have to do a soul realignment for sure.
Jolanda: Exactly, I’d loved to understand more of that, the broad strokes. Because I’m kind of out here, just winging it, right?
Gail: Well, then, you’re doing a good job winging it honey.
Jolanda: Thank you.
Gail: Yeah, so what’s my purpose? You know that people put so much pressure on themselves and there is something missing. There is a void. And part of it is really your purpose.
Partly not finding your purpose, but a good portion of it is getting comfortable with who you are and loving who you are.
A lot of the work that I do with clients is energetic and we’ll talk about that in a in another session, but it really is everything boils down to. It’s how you relate to “you” first. And so, before going out and finding a purpose to heal the world, I’ll give you an example.
So how many healers, energy healers, Reiki healers in whatever you want to call it, that you know, really live a sh!tt! life.
Their personal life is a mess, and they probably have physical issues themselves.
Jolanda: Yeah, there have definitely been situations where you know I’ve heard of somebody being a life like oh, it turns out she’s doing life coaching now. And you think you know and not to be so judgmental or hard, but you would just think I could assign them probably 15 jobs that I think that they would be great at. But, you know, coaching my life probably wouldn’t be one of them.
So, I do kind of know what you what you mean there.
Gail: Right and before you can go after your purpose, you have to be at ease with you. You need to make friends with yourself. And that requires a little bit of work, it requires being brave enough to be introspective and get curious about why you’re doing something.
I have a client that came to me, now, OK shrink versus coach guys, she’s been going to therapy for decades and her first thing “Gail, I messed up here, here, here, here, here, here, here…” and she’s just giving me all of her problems.
I’m like,” yeah, we’re not going to touch any of those with me.”
And she’s says, “well, you know my history in my past.” and then I said, “yeah, we’re not going to touch any of those either. If they come up, we’ll deal with what’s comes up, but our job is where are you going and where are you right now.”
Jolanda: And I love how you say that the past is in the past, leave it there, but you know yes there’s a lot of information data back there that you can bring forward, but leave the past in the past. And I think that that’s powerful that you know.
Let’s say you know somebody really does do all that work on themselves, and then whatever that process was, they are able to then, you know, it kind of sparks inside of them that I can help other people that way. You know that’s a totally different animal, right then you know. “Hey, my facade is really great, Let me coach your life.”
Gail: right, right that’s so. And here’s the deal; most people, I don’t want to be generalized, but some people I have observed go into this type of healing profession because they themselves need healing. And believe me, the same thing applies to shrinks. They become psychiatrists or psychologists because they have their own issues that they want to deal with. However. if you don’t deal with your issues, if you don’t apply it to yourself, you will cause more harm than good.
I have always had a coach. I’m coaching with someone now.
Jolanda: Which I was very impressed to hear, if you remember, when you told me, you know I was talking to my mentor and I’m like, “and you have a mentor?” I think that that just kind of proved that there’s no ego with you, right?
I like that I like that right away about you.
Gail: Believe me, I mess up enough right?
But so, I’m talking with this gentleman, and he actually runs a mastermind group for coaches and we were talking about the podcast and my plans and my strategy and what I’m going to do and he goes, “I can’t wait for your podcast Gail, because you’re one of the few people, as a coach, that you practice what you preach.”
Now here’s a gentleman who has dealt with thousands of coaches because that’s his job. He trains coaches and he coaches coaches, and he’s telling me I’m one of the few.
So, that concerns me, and I will tell you when I first started as a coach, I had coaches. I had coaches, you know, because I had [stuff] that I had to leave behind. I had coaches because I knew nothing about network marketing. I had coaches because I knew nothing about marketing.
I mean I had them up the wazoo and so many times I would be on the phone in the meeting, and I would be doing the coaching. And I had stopped and said wait a minute, I’m paying you and first thing that comes out of your mouth is how [blippy] your week was and what came up for you.
And so, when we, you know, we talk about purpose, my purpose as truth and as the seer it’s perfect for what I do. I’m going to call that stuff out. I’m going to say, “You know, it’s been awesome working with you, this is not working for me, though it’s working very well for you. Here’s my charges, if you want to go further, here’s what it will cost you.”
Jolanda: I think that that’s part of it, where you know it’s almost like crossing the line where you know there in this you know Oh yeah, oh my week was crazy busy all right let’s get into talking about you and you know why we’re here on this session you know.
I mean, I’ve even gone to a massage where I’m getting a massage, everything is Zen and where things are going well, and then, you know, my massage therapist is talking about how she’s upset about her new schedule. And I’m here paying for a massage, trying to be relaxed, you know, literally a stranger. It’s the first time I’ve met this woman, and you know, that’s how she’s using her time, giving people massages.
So I was, needless to say, less than impressed. But that’s the first thing I thought of when you had said, you know, I wasn’t her therapist.
She needed a therapist, she didn’t need a new person, a new customer.
Gail: Right, and so we talk about purpose, she’s definitely not following her Dhamma. But here’s what’s amazing, this is why the podcast is about purpose. Your purpose and power intertwine because when you relax into your purpose, so it isn’t a go getter, it’s to relax, “Oh my goodness, that so fits. Thas so is right, “
You step into a power. that is so surreal, because you have a knowing and I call it a knowing, that cannot be explained. And you become present in the moment.
Because all of this comes together.
Jolanda: I agree, and we were talking, you know a little bit earlier about it’s kind of It’s almost easy. You know what’s that great thing that you can do that’s actually easy for you and when you look around, it’s not as easy or people aren’t as willing to be doing it as you are.
And then it’s almost like OK there is room for me. There is room for me and for my purpose because it is unique and individual.
Gail: And it’s easy. Because it’s who you are. So, if you’re struggling with something, then you know that you’re in the wrong place and what’s interesting, many of my clients also are looking for a new job, you know that gentleman was and I my response is, “Yeah, let’s work on other things first. And he found a balance through our sessions in his job and actually a humor where he previously was upset about what was going on.
There was actually a little “well here we go again,” but from a humor… it’s perspective and he was offered a remarkable position near the end. from another department.
Jolanda: Excellent, right?
Gail: One of the things that we did, and you know some of my clients get this, some of them don’t. It depends on the path we take, is his personal mission statement.
Again, if you know your purpose, you can come up with a mission statement that is all encompassing that will take you forever.
You know, mine is who I am, and your mission statement is who you are, and he was making choices when he went for the interview in that job and we talked, he’s like,” My mission statement, and does it have this check? Does it have that check”?
Jolanda: Awesome.
Gail: How do you make a decision?
Does it align with who you are? No, the answer is no.
Does it align? Yes. Nothing else.
The answer may not be yes, but it’s like, yes, this would fit.
Jolanda: And you will find out the hard way if, you know, if you compromise any of those things you know, oh, it’s a little farther than I wanted to drive, but it’s a great opportunity. And then two months and you’re like “I cannot believe I signed myself up for a 40-minute commute.”
You know you really need to put your foot down in those situations, so you don’t, so you don’t regret it.
And then in that time that you’re suffering, you’re losing yourself too.
And then it’s like almost like you have to start a little bit of work again, you know, it’s yeah.
Gail: You do you do?
It’s like Groundhog Day, “OK here we go. I know I’ve been here before and yet here I am again” and you wonder why and it’s because you’re making choices not aligned with who you are.
One of the things that my Coach has said, now he was the first coach I ever had, he’s the one who trained me. And one of the things he says in that training is know your worth, charge your worth and he does tell you that dollar is your worth and leave the money on the table If the client isn’t the right client, it’s hard, I know. Leave it and walk away.
And it was very hard for me to do that.
Jolanda: I understand I’m trying to right now trying to navigate that where you know you think you know I really want to work with this brand, I really do, and then you know if you had a really great, great, first one on one and you know and then you’re doing your follow up. And then there’s a point where you’ve done the follow up to the point where OK now, their perception is I’m bothering them. When this was really promising, and you know, I’m just trying to be professional and do my part to see if we’re going to move forward.
But a lot of times you have to realize that if you’re chasing somebody down to work with you, your value isn’t there. You’re going to be chasing them down to pay you as well, right?
So, they’re going to look at an invoice as you know, like Oh well, you know, I really wasn’t ready to do this or take this on or whatever it might be and then kind of, you know, diminish your value based on you being pushy or whatever, it might be based on whatever perception might be perceived as.
So, they’re going to take a look at an invoice and say, “I’m not really ready to take this on” or whatever it may be.
I’m trying to kind of navigate those waters myself right now, and you know my new business where you know is it.
Is it working right? So, if it’s so, I I kind of have had that situation now where I’m more confident to say, like you know, I mean after this follow up, I can’t do anymore, you know because it’s also, you know, a reputation of that I don’t want to build of being somebody who’s bothering, but I’m my own sales person. I really believe I can help them and when I see a brand that I’m reaching out to is because I have so many ideas for you. I have ideas that will work and move the needle and I’m excited, right?
And then and it’s I think I need to work on kind of how I’m I convinced people that I’m the right, I’m the right person, you know, because of because of what I know.
I can offer, you know, but then it’s actually translating that to, you know, to being a value to the other person.
Gail: Right, right and we’ll talk about. We can talk about that in another session.
There’s a little bit about purpose and there’s much about finding your purpose, I’ll probably end up doing, you know, other episodes around this.
So, thank you Jolande for joining me on this podcast. The Empowering Process Podcasts where we’re going to talk about purpose; and Jolanda, let’s talk a little bit about what you do and how people can get in touch with you.
Jolanda: Sure, well my name is Jolanda Logan. I am a marketing strategist and consultant and I specialize in small businesses. I have over 18 years of experience in, you know, huge local and national brands and right now I really am honing into the community in small business space I offer free consultations and I can be reached at marketing@JoLosparkles.com
Gail Thanks Jolanda and we will put that in the comments so that you can get in touch with them and thank you again everybody.
This is Gail Kraft from The Empowering Process and If something came up for you that is of interest, please do put it in the comments, I’ll be happy to do another Aks Me Anything on it or if this really was amazing for you, share it out. Let us know you liked it. Take care everybody. Have a fantastic day and will be talking to you again.
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