Dr Rudi Kimmie (PhD) | CEO | TSIBA Business School | mail me |
What is the value of one’s heart beat? What is the meaning of life? Do I matter?
These are existential questions that people increasingly reflect on in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising number of existential threats facing humanity.
Placing a value on life is a poignant ontological question, nearly impossible to answer, yet profound enough to drive many a passion.
Deep introspection on the meaning of life
The devastating impact of COVID-19, an increasingly fragile natural environment and the potential widening conflict in the Ukraine, have disrupted our somnolent lives and triggered deep introspection on the meaning of life and yearnings to live relevant lives.
What is emerging on a global scale, therefore, and rapidly accelerating, is the pursuit of a ‘purpose-lived’ life.
COVID-19 was merely one of the many tipping points to prompt us to expand our consciousness and engage in unprecedented self-introspection to shift us from materialistic obsession towards deeper empathy and solidarity as humans.
The notion of ‘Purpose-lived’ could have multiple meanings and is therefore elusive to simplistic explanations. However, it connects us to our higher aspirations through what we express through our values. ‘Purpose-lived’ makes us active participants to change the world we’re living in; similar to the growing trend of many ultra-rich signing up for the ‘Giving Pledge’ to donate their wealth to worthy causes.
So how do we live a ‘Purpose-lived’ life?
The fundamental question to answer is, how do we want to validate our lives? Do we wish to measure life’s value through accumulation, or in the legacy that we build and leave for posterity?
When Apple founder, Steve Jobs, in his dying moments wrote, ’Being the richest man in a cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night, saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me’, makes one realise that the value of true wealth is actually a life well-shared.
‘Purpose-lived’ is a value that espouses in praxis and philosophy. This has given rise to numerous opportunities which have benefited the lives of thousands of young people!
Philanthropy is purpose in its purest form! Grants which enable the less fortunate to live or learn is the expression of an individual’s unique innate desire to determine someone else’s reality in a positive way.
Our ‘Purpose-lived’ success has made a very significant impact in the harsh South African reality of high unemployment.
Graduate employability is >90% which is sector leading. In addition, our many students and graduates have established successful social and commercial enterprises. Some examples include: Chev’s Kitchen (a community-based social entrepreneurship feeding scheme in Kewtown, Cape Town), Bee-Inspired (a honey and beeswax production company, Somerset West) and Khaltsha Cycles (a successful cycling enterprise, Khayelitsha, Cape Town).
In conclusion
We have released the first Purpose-Lived Podcast episodes. The episodes are wonderfully enlightening conversations between our Co-Founder and Chairperson Gia Whitehead and iconic people from various walks of life.
I strongly encourage readers of this article to become listeners of the our Purpose-Lived podcast series which are available here or on Spotify, Apple and Google Podcast.
