Shon Holyfield describes career doubts and how his sense of purpose helped him overcome those questions and doubt. Finding your purpose can help guide your career.

1. QUESTIONS, DOUBT,
AND PURPOSE
By Shon Holyfield

2. Every day we are faced with
decisions to make, problems to
solve, and questions to resolve.
Some of these decisions may be easy; a decision about whether to
brush our teeth. Some of these decisions may be difficult; a
decision about how to handle a conflict with a friend. Questions
come to mind and sometimes doubt about our own ability to handle
or resolve situations.

3. I remember a moment in my career where I had reached a
significant milestone;
I had become an expert in the area of sales and use tax.
From the point of view of an outside observer, it would have
been easy to assume that I was filled with pride or even
happiness over this achievement. I had become a respected
voice in my profession. Tax professionals wanted me to give
talks on my experience and peers respected my point of view
on sales and use tax matters. Yet, I felt like something was
missing and I had doubts about my future and career.

4. As I learned more about tax, I
learned more about what I didn’t
know.
I felt inadequate at times. I sometimes felt like I
made more mistakes than ever before. I even
approached a family member and talked about
leaving tax and getting into an entirely different
professional altogether.

5. I had doubts about myself and my future. What
difference was I making?
What was the point of it all? Was this it? Was
this what life was about? Becoming a tax
expert?
Is this the best it gets as a professional? Is
there more?

6. I spent several years working with these questions in
the back of my mind. I would find ways to stay focused
on work and put aside my self-doubts and questions,
but they were always there.
Years later I worked closely with an experienced
executive. He commented on my success and admired
what I had achieved professionally. I opened up to him
and shared my questions and doubts. He smiled and
simply asked a few questions:
“What is the purpose of your company?”
“What is your purpose?”

7. I struggled to answer questions that, in my mind, should have
been easy to answer. I honestly didn’t know.
I sat there for a long while. I had worked for 20 years and couldn’t
tell someone what my company’s purpose was? How
embarrassing… I started to think about things that had nothing to
do with work. I want to be a good dad. I want to be a good friend.
I want things to be better, not worse. I then turned to work… I
want to be a good leader. I know I want to be good at things. I
think I told him that I want to be good at things.
He said “Good, but why? What motivates you? What inspires
you?”

8. That was easier for me to answer.
I remembered an email from a professional on my team – an
email they sent while on a vacation with their family. They told
me this was the first time in their career where they were able to
be with family and not be worried about work.
I remembered another email from another professional on my
team who recently bought a new truck. They were so excited.
I remembered the moments when my daughters would laugh so
hard they nearly cried.

9. I then remembered an email from a senior tax professional who
had worked for 40 years in tax. She was about to retire and
before she left, she made the time to send us an email.
Her email said “thank you” in the subject line. She went on to
explain that in the past 2 years of using TTR, she, for the first
time in 40 years, felt confident that she understood sales and use
tax.
It had always been a bit confusing for her, but the past 2 years
were not. She wanted to say thank you for making the end of her
career a good one.

10. There were many more memories like these that flooded
through my mind.
Memories of people I’ve known who shared moments like
these. Moments where their lives were improved somehow,
where they were filled with happiness over what they had
achieved or were able to enjoy.
That was it. That was my light at the end of the tunnel. That
was my way out of the years of doubt and questions for me.

11. I love seeing people do well and if I can be some small part of
that, then it is all worth it to me. I knew that the thing that
motivated me and got me through tough times was seeing
people’s lives improved.
My purpose was to improve people’s lives.
The more I looked at this idea, the more I talked with other
executives and professionals, the more realized that I’m not
alone.
Nearly all of us genuinely want others to do well. Nearly all of us
feel good when we know we made a positive impact in another’s
life. Heck, even if improving lives isn’t a stated purpose of all
organizations, most end up accomplishing this purpose.

12. Educators, consultants, public servants,
cell phones, movies, programmers, doctors,
restaurants, stores, electricity, roads, food,
parks, tax professionals, and more…
Our lives are improved because of all that
we all do for one another and the goods and
services we make available.

13. Purpose: the reason why
something is done or why it exists.
I think I stumbled on a purpose that many of us share: the purpose to
improve people’s lives.
It’s why I wake up early every morning and never mind working late at
night. Even if this were the end of the story and only a single person’s
life was improved, I believe it would all be worth it.
Good news is that it isn’t the end of the story, it is just the beginning.
Go improve lives today and know that you are!