Do you focus more on what you are working on or what you are working for?
What we are working on could be a mailing, setting up visits, getting prepared for Board meetings, etc.
On the other hand, what we are working for are the big outcomes we are aiming to achieve. Strengthening our institutions through endowment growth, assisting tomorrow’s students through increased scholarship aid, or building the day-to-day foundation of our institutions through a more robust annual fund.
When we focus on what we are working on, we tend to concentrate on our to-do list and our calendars. If we aren’t careful, what we are working on can become all-consuming, squeezing out a focus on what we are working for.
But, when we focus on what we are working for, we tap into our highest values and ideals, and the reasons why we chose to work in the philanthropy vineyard to begin with. What we are working for gives us a reason to get out of bed each day and approach our work with the enthusiasm and effort it deserves.
