The Balance Between Personal and Purpose, How Much of Each to Allot to Your Mission vs. Friends, Family and Partner but Also – to Society at Large.
Guest Blog Author: Founder of LOTUS Alliance, Arati Sureddi.
People often ask me how it is that I manage my social enterprise, LOTUS Alliance, which is addressing human trafficking through the responsible tourism industry. Bar none, I am blessed with a family that supports me and without whom I could not take on this endeavor. But LOTUS is funded through the income from my day jobs; LOTUS and I split it down the middle. In this I am not alone, there are many social entrepreneurs who work day and night in pursuit of their passion. And I imagine that they, like myself, battle with balance – of money, time, energy and emotion – and are probably, generally, spread too thin. This includes the balance between personal and purpose, how much of each to allot to your mission versus friends, family and partner but also to those who fall into neither category – to society at large.
This is, in fact, a balance I struggled with for much of my childhood. My father is a physician and an immigrant. His days generally consisted of putting back together someone’s face who had just gone through a windshield, charts, impending rounds and meetings. In my rational mind I knew that, was proud of it and also the fact that he’d been raised in a village in India yet was here in the States providing incredibly well for a family of his own. But improbable as it was I wanted my Dad next to all the other fathers at the sidelines of my Wednesday afternoon soccer match versus at the side of some stranger’s hospital bed. As far as I was concerned personal trumped purpose.
But in this I am the pot calling the kettle black…
Like I said I have day jobs. When people ask what the jobs are I brush off the question mostly because I don’t want pity from the interrogator, a wasted emotion on the likes of someone as lucky as myself. None pay all that well or offer much gratification but the key is they don’t interfere with LOTUS – my purpose, my passion & my baby. As a result, I rarely have time, money or energy for those close to me and when things aren’t going well for LOTUS my emotions are that much more fraught.
However, this weekend I had the distinct pleasure of meeting a fellow social entrepreneur at a socent event who turned much of the aforementioned on its head. He is the co-founder of a fungible, necessary and talented social enterprise here in CT, which he attends to following his day job. His day job, I daresay, is a profession the majority of us wouldn’t muster ourselves to with a 10-foot pole. However, this young man, without a flinch of the face or waver in his voice, informed me how he earns his keep in this world with pride. And to that the only reaction one can have is awe – so much so as to incite one to write her first blog post ever.
He lives, what too few people know, that not one of us is too good for a fair wage that puts a roof over your head and food in your belly. And as if that weren’t enough, this individual, let’s call him Henry*, without any bravado, picked up a sizeable tab for a group of people half of whom he’d only met 3 hours previous. This 50% of the group fell into neither personal nor purpose yet were the recipients of Henry’s hard earned cash and delightful company. The other half included a fellow co-founder and a childhood friend.
It would seem to me that this guy has that balance thing pretty well sorted out. So Henry, thank you, yes for the beverage, but primarily for the perspective and privilege. Your mission, personal circle and society at large are blessed for your presence.
* * Names have been changed to protect the identity of the outstanding & humble.
** The author will be taking time off this weekend to dedicate to friends, family and possibly a stranger or two.
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