Our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman said in 1960, "…with our unity and cooperation, faith and tolerance for one another, with hard work and glad hearts, we can make our young nation one of the happiest in the world.
This is my belief, this is what I live for, to ensure peace, happiness and prosperity for our Malaya which we all love so well."
This was a meaningful and purposeful vision for our fledgling country. It became Malaysia's 'purpose' and led to our nation growing in leaps and bounds, and to us being respected on the international stage.
Once we are committed to a purpose, our attitude starts shifting to reflect it. This is what happened to us as a nation. If we reflect on the term 'nation-building', ultimately, it is always founded on purpose.
It takes commitment to make your purpose central to everything that you do. And, this requires clarity of thought, or you need to be 'forced' down a path that you accept.
Societies around the world have always celebrated the idea of marriage. Getting hitched is a big deal in many communities everywhere. But legally, it is nothing more than a piece of paper that says two people are committed to each other.
In reality though, the bond of marriage has familial, cultural, socio-economic, and a whole range of other implications. All of which serve to keep you connected to the promise that you make to your partner, and often to their family, too
And marriages end, only when one or both parties, choose to get out of this 'commitment.'
Similarly, in life and at work, you make a bond with yourself and your employer, to commit to certain actions and adhere to some structure. And, if undertake this with your purpose or intent clearly in your mind, you will always get better results.
Let me give you an example of what happened in my life.
After completing my secondary education, my folks agreed to fund my education overseas. It was a big deal for them financially, and required many sacrifices. Of course, at that time, like many teenagers, I just felt a sense of entitlement. It was as if it was their solemn duty to do this for their first born.
I told them that I wanted to be a lawyer. My parents were very happy, supportive and said they'd pay.
So, off I went to England to study for my A-Levels. The experience of studying abroad was quite liberating and empowering. I found myself in the company of students who had, and were given the space to express opinions. I loved it, and thrived in that environment.
I learnt to explore new ideas and exchange opinions with my teachers and peers. I grew in confidence and I started forming my own opinions, about pretty much everything.
But, one such opinion posed a bit of a quandary.
After studying in England for about year, and being exposed to alternate ways of thinking, I decided that reading law wasn't for me, after all. I was more interested in philosophy or politics at university.
So, I decided to discuss this with my 'financiers', my folks. As always, they were supportive.
But this time they had one condition. My parents were happy to allow me to study whatever I wanted, but reminded me that they had agreed to fund my education abroad if I was to study to become a lawyer.
They said, if I now wanted to do a degree in philosophy or politics, it wasn't a problem. But they wanted back home and that they'd help me find a place at a local university.
Naturally, it would not cost them all their savings to educate me.
I was in a dilemma. Should I stay or should I go? Was studying abroad, enjoying my freedom, learning and meeting new people from around the world, and experiencing student-life there, important to me? Or did I really want to study philosophy and politics.
Well, I choose to stay abroad and read law. My immediate purpose was far more compelling than any long-term goal of a career.
Your attitude always reflects your purpose, even when making life changing decisions.
Regardless of what your purpose is, or whether it is empowering or even useful, it is like an auto-pilot setting. It will impact all your actions. Your decision-making simply reflects your purpose.
Therefore, if you are not satisfied with your results, remind yourself that it is a reflection of your attitude to life and work. Once you connect with this, you will see clearly that your actions are purely predicated by your purpose-drive.
It is not your circumstances or the company you work for, which is making you unhappy or not giving you the results, you want. It is always your attitude that gets you results. And, your attitude is constantly and unfailingly determined by your purpose and intent.
So, just like Malaysia, you must also find your purpose, if you want success.
Shankar R. Santhiram is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller "So, You Want To Get Promoted?
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
