What's next, GenX? Midlife reached - is that all or is there still more to come? 

Were you born between 1965 and 1980? Do you remember the New German Wave, Band Aid, Rocky Balboa, E.T., jeans with white stripes, shoulder pads, Waldsterben, Glasnost, the fall of the Berlin Wall?

Then we have something in common:

We are Generation X. We are standing in the middle of life. And being in the middle is a characteristic that applies to Generation X like to no other before or after it: We have always been in the middle. We know skiing and snowboarding, board games and videogames, counting frames and computers, corded phones and cell phones. We are the last analogs and the first digital. And we can use the best of both worlds. Because we know and understand both worlds.

But being in the middle also sometimes means looking for orientation. Where do we belong? Where is the journey going? Is that it or is there still something to come? We are between 40 and 55 years old. Have we already lived half our lives or do we still have half our lives ahead of us?

Who am I and why am I here?

So not what am I, but who am I as a person. What is my why and what are my personal values? What is the real meaning of what I do? And do I create added value for myself but also for my environment?

Can you answer these questions? I couldn't really at the time and was caught cold. My answer was pretty cliché. It just sounded good. But I realized how little I had thought about my purpose, my why - especially when it came to career.

Especially when I started my professional life. I chose the financial industry based on recommendations and well-intentioned advice. This decision was probably rationally correct. However, the question of why was answered in most cases by the compensation. The tasks and activities of the banking industry itself did not match my personality, nor my interests. I was unable to develop a real passion for banking. I was functioning, but also realized that the lack of purpose was robbing me more and more of my drive and motivation. So I started looking for fulfillment. Only when I intensively dealt with the question of meaning did I find the right answer. This was that I wanted to focus more on people with their own personal goals and desires.

The power of meaning

What we Germans call meaning, the Americans call purpose - a strong force that drives us humans, pulls us forward and holds us together.  Purpose is a basic human need. If it is missing, then clarity, joy and motivation are also missing. This is true for individuals, but also for teams and companies. Meaning drives people, binds teams together and turns bold visions into achievable goals.

Whoever creates meaning, people follow, because the question of why is answered and hits them in their deepest inner desire. If people recognize the meaning, they find inspiration and new motivation. The SINN (Purpose) formula serves as a support to get to the bottom of the deeper meaning in your different areas of life. This formula is composed of the following 4 elements.

Position

Take a standpoint. Where are you today? Have you achieved what you wanted? Are your performance, passion and profit in harmony? Do you find fulfillment in what you do, or has something changed over the years? Do you know exactly where the journey is going? Goals and priorities provide clarity and power of implementation. By determining where you stand, you create a strong basis from which you can meet new challenges with confidence.

Inner attitude

What do you stand for? Which values guide you? What moves you? What awakens your passion? How you look at the world shapes your attitude and drive.

Benefit

What benefits do you achieve with your thoughts and actions? For yourself and more importantly for others? The more value you create for others, the more value comes to you. Leave a strong impact.

Sustainability

Are you ready to go a new way or to make the existing one even better? Are you ready for your own personal development? You can only achieve great goals with staying power and long-term action.

Do you know your answer to all 4 elements? Do you have the desired result clearly in mind? Does the heart or the rational mind speak? And how does it look in your team, in your company? Do people know why they do what they do? Do you have common values and goals? Or is there more to it?

I have made this formula my philosophy. Both for myself personally and in my work with people. And I hope it will also support you on your personal path to more meaning in your life. In any case, I wish you all the best!