Several executives later told me that Sanders’s assessment reveals something important about his brand of confidence: It isn’t about a cocky feeling of inherent superiority but rather a belief that you’re capable of greatness through hard work.

I am at the age where many of my peers are moving into retirement. Many have confided in me that it is a frightening thought. When you think about it, most have been working in the same career for well over forty years.

Action, urgency, and readiness are key words at work and in life. Everyone wants what they want on time, right now, or yesterday! However, as humans, one of our deepest needs is patience.

Our collective participation in rituals helps us build connection, establish trust, and feel safe bringing our full identity to work. We see their direct impact in our retention rate—over 95% last quarter.

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.

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.

What we believe informs our life purpose, and those deep convictions also guide how we work. Leaders find the most success when all their goals, strategies, and plans are consistent with their life purpose.

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.

Researchers found that when managers stop thinking about work in the evening, they are less likely to feel depleted the following day. That, in turn, helps them see themselves as a leader and act the part.