Creating Change Through Purpose

I recently talked with the Chief Operating Officer of Whole Foods Market, Walter Robb. I’m interested in starting my own health food business that sells low-sodium products. Who better to talk to than the guru of all gurus, the main man of Whole Foods Market. We talked about many things from the Olympics to Austin to the economy. The one thing that left the biggest impression in my mind was when he told me, “Business is the greatest thing in the world because it gives us the opportunity to create change.” Wow, I was shocked. The sentence sounded so perfect, so true.

This also ties in very closely to a book I’m currently reading called “It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For.” The author is named Roy Spence who is the CEO and founder of GSD&M, one of America’s top Ad agencies that is here in Austin. Truly this book is one of the best reads I’ve ever picked up. It isn’t because it’s written with such grace or in such a unique writing style. This book is so good because it stresses the importance of doing something for a purpose that will help people and make a difference, not because you could make money doing it. Roy impresses upon the reader to find your purpose, define it, make it concise, and make it a reality. He realizes that not everyone has a purpose just yet but that we must all be working to find ours. Southwest airlines is mentioned a lot in the book. Roy elaborates about how Southwest really came into its own when they decided they were going to be ‘Freedom Fighters.’ Their goal was to give average Americans the freedom to fly in a time when only the elite could travel by plane. This purpose and staying true to this purpose has guided them to be one of the greatest companies of all time.

I get so excited thinking about starting a business and making a difference. Seriously, when I read this book my heart rate sometimes gets elevated just learning about all the innovative ways people have made a difference in the world through business and how I too will someday do this.

As many of you already know, I have battled high blood pressure for over three years. A big focus of mine since being diagnosed is to live a low-sodium lifestyle. It is very difficult to find good tasting, low-sodium products in grocery stores, therefore I make a lot of my own. I plan to create low-sodium products and help fill this void so other people will have an easier time following a low-sodium diet. Truthfully I have no idea how all of this will work out, nor do I worry about it. What I do know is that my purpose in business will be to help people with high blood pressure find better and easier ways to live a low-sodium diet.

It’s so exciting and fulfilling to do something we’re passionate about. Swimming has been my passion for many years and has given and taught me things I could have never dreamed possible. I realize swimming will not last forever, nor do I want it to, that is why I’m working on finding my purpose and passion beyond swimming now.

A wise woman I once knew always left by telling me, “do something nice that will help someone today, you’ll both feel better.” It’s really true!

Let’s create change!