Alignment of purpose and planning leads to strategically informed action. When a leader or organization is confident in their purpose and has designed clever plans to achieve their goals, the actions necessary to achieve those goals naturally follow.

When we are sure of our purpose and have developed ways for how to serve people, acting for the benefit of others becomes an outflow of our intentions. Doing the right thing for others can be as natural as walking and loving others can be as common as breathing.

The late Steve Jobs and Deion Sanders have successfully led with their core beliefs in the spotlight — allowing their beliefs to define their “why” and guide their “how.” Connecting their purpose to their practice has enabled Jobs and Sanders to extend their impact far beyond the confines of their respective organizations and areas of expertise.

Our cultural definition of retirement is a misconception, assuming people have completed their most important work and have earned the right to an autonomous lifestyle. The word “retire” does not describe what we actually plan to do when we stop working for income.