More and more, I see purpose as a journey—a process of becoming, of unfolding our best selves through the choices we make in every moment. As I work with people and organizations to uncover or clarify their purpose (and, equally, as I reflect on my own), the idea that purpose is fixed over time, a grand statement we declare once and live by forever, increasingly feels limiting. As we experience life, what matters most to us may shift, and (hopefully) our perspective evolves. Purpose, in this sense, is fluid—reflecting the changing nature of who we are and the things that matter most to us.
Living ripples of change
This is not to say that purpose statements aren’t valuable. Indeed, they are—especially if we see them as waypoints along a journey of becoming. Purpose statements serve as reflections of the gifts we bring—amplifying the ways in which can serve—the value we add to those around us, and the impact we strive to make in the world. While they act as guideposts, they are not fixed destinations. Rather, they help us acknowledge the essence of our journey.
Similarly, purpose models offer valuable frameworks for defining our “why,” providing guidance in the early stages of self-discovery or organizational clarity. Working with clients, I’ve seen how they are instrumental in helping people and brands articulate their ambitions. However, as we continue our journey, it’s important to acknowledge that living purpose is not static. In practice, purpose is about more than personal evolution; it encompasses how we bring those insights to the world, creating ripples of change that touch both individuals and communities. As society’s challenges and technology evolve, so, too, must our understanding of how we can best contribute.
Action as a catalyst
For some time, I saw being, living in the present and “accepting” and “allowing” what is without any immediate pressure to change it, as the ultimate state—especially from a more spiritual or metaphysical perspective. After all, haven’t we been taught that true peace comes when we learn to simply “be”?
Yet, this always felt incomplete to me. Especially when considered in practice. When working with brands and business leaders, it is clear to me that doing—aligning words with actions—is essential. And while doing is the way we actualize our beliefs, our purpose, I’ve never perceived it as our end game. Perhaps it’s because of spiritual lessons in being. Doing always seemed like a step or even a bridge toward a higher state of consciousness. Something that we practice to discover who we can be on a higher level.
Embracing continuous evolution
And then during Climate Week, in a related conversation with Amanda Efthimiou, who works in emergent well-being tech, I suddenly recognized that the notion of becoming—as compared with being—holds a greater promise of constant evolution, a continuous unfolding of who we are and who we are meant to be…. For it’s in this state of becoming that we allow ourselves to fully embrace the idea of ongoing growth and elevated consciousness, for ourselves and for the people and planet with which we live in interdependence.
For me, Know-Be-Do-Become is a framework that reflects this journey toward becoming our best selves. Each stage plays a crucial role in aligning who we are with the world we wish to create.
- Know: The moment of awakening
Know is where this journey begins. It’s the moment of awakening—a time to recognize the deeper truths that connect us with ourselves, others and the world around us. For brands and business leaders, this phase may involve realizing that success goes beyond profits and encompasses creating value for communities and the planet. It’s that pivotal shift in awareness that asks us to dig deeper into our ‘why’.
- Being: Embodying knowledge and values
Being is about embodying our knowledge and values, whether that’s showing up as a more present leader, making space for others to grow or aligning an organization’s actions with its stated mission and polices. It’s the presence we bring, to conversations and to every decision and action we take.
- Doing: Translating purpose into action
Do is the translation of purpose into action. It’s about making intentional decisions that align with our values—whether that’s a brand deciding to commit to sustainable practices or an individual choosing to lead with compassion. Every action we take moves us closer to the world we wish to create.
- Becoming: An ongoing cycle of growth
Becoming invites us to embrace the reality that we are always evolving. It both completes the cycle and begins it anew, returning us to knowing with a deeper understanding and heightened consciousness. In becoming, we don’t achieve a final state but rather we experience an ongoing process of refinement and growth—whether we’re learning from past decisions or adjusting to new challenges. It’s this continual evolution that keeps us aligned with our best selves. After all, living purpose is an open-ended journey that encourages us to grow, learn and adapt continually.
Embodying purpose
As we return to Knowing, we’re reminded that true knowing isn’t only intellectual—it’s deeply rooted in how we physically feel and respond. Our bodies hold important insights, and yet we are often conditioned to overlook physiological signals in favor of rationality. Leaders, especially, may find themselves ignoring what their bodies are telling, relying mostly on logic to guide their decisions given Board and investor pressure. Without integrating these signals—our deepest instincts and emotions that characterize our intuition—we do not truly know. Herein, purpose is something we come to feel and embody, as much as understand.
Purpose and becoming are intertwined—they are a reflection of our humanness and our desire to continuously live in harmony with ourselves, our communities and the world around us. And as a framework, Know-Be-Do-Become reflects this dynamic process. Each stage builds upon the previous, and none are ever truly final—they loop back, inviting us to deepen our understanding and continue evolving – to continually learn as we experience the world. It is the cycle that enables us, and the brands and businesses we lead, to continually align with our highest potential. Know-Be-Do-Become is our ongoing invitation to evolve, create and contribute to a better world.