How to Communicate Your Purpose
Communication is a form of sharing. By sharing, we build relationships; relationships with others and relationships in our mind. Communication is therefore the foundation for our understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. But to communicate, it is required that what we want to communicate is first defined. By using a process of exploring and combining symbols that best represent our intentions, we are able to clearly and effectively share our purpose.
Define the Purpose
Purpose is an idea. Defining an idea is finding and making connections to other ideas. By searching for these connections we begin to clarify the idea, as well as its limitations. Start with what you believe is the purpose and:
- Explore Symbols
- Answer: What words and objects represent this idea?
- Answer: What does it/would it feel like?
- Answer: What does it/would it sound like?
- Answer: What does it/would it taste like?
- Answer: What does it/would it smell like?
- Answer: What does it/would it look like?
- Question the Symbols
- Answer "Why?" to the previous questions.
- Replace the symbols that no longer work with ones that do.
- Combine the Best Symbols
- Define what combination of symbols are the most effective in communicating the idea (Involve all senses - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.)
- Put it all in writing.
Share the Idea
After defining your idea, the next step is finding the audience for it. Communication is an opportunity to impart an idea. To ensure the idea is of substantial value to others:
- Define the Audience
- Describe your audience as thoroughly as possible.
- Answer: What are the values of my audience?
- Answer: How does my idea fit into the life of my audience?
- Design the Story
- With the audience profile in mind, construct a story that integrates your idea into their life by using the symbols previously defined.
- In support of the narrative, design the experience of the communication.
- Share the Idea
- Deliver the experience to your audience.