Chapter 25

Tests

Dharma could sense that big things were happening. She could tell because of the way Josh acted and also because he told her about the events of his workday. He told her about his research on the organic milk company, and a few months later, at a leadership meeting, he presented the concept to the leaders of his company. He called it purpose-driven goals and suggested that the company should focus on its purpose instead of its numbers. When one of the “energy vampires,” as Josh called them, asked him what this purpose would be, he said, “As a company, we will innovate and serve with purpose.” He told the leaders that purpose should drive everything they do as a company. He showed them slides, “Sell with Purpose,” “Manufacture with Purpose,” “Communicate with Purpose.” It had been the driving force behind his success, he told them, and it could take the company to a new level.

The CEO loved the concept, whereas several executives balked at the idea. Support was divided, and when the CEO told him to go forward with the messaging and provide a plan for rolling it out to the company, Josh knew that this meant his career would either skyrocket, if it worked, or crash and burn, if it failed. He hadn’t realized it before he presented his concept, but he had put himself and his career on the line, and there was nowhere to hide. He didn’t have a plan B. All he had was his desire to share his beliefs and faith that his ideas would work.

Over the next few months, Dharma noticed Josh working late all the time on the computer. She would lie down beside him, to let him know he had her full support. He talked to her about everything he was working on and all the challenges he faced. The farmer had said there would be obstacles during the growth phase, and Josh kept reminding himself that setbacks were all part of the process.

“Knowing your purpose is one challenge, but a bigger challenge is finding the courage to follow it and live it in the face of adversity and naysayers,” Josh told her.

He also experienced a lot of self-doubt, wondering, “Who am I to be leading such an important initiative?” To make matters worse, his biggest adversaries, two executives from the leadership team, often asked the same question. As Josh and his team rolled out the internal branding campaign to the company, it seemed as though someone at every turn not only questioned his qualifications but also sought to sabotage him and his initiative. The more responsibility he was given, the more others wanted to see him fail. Each success was met with resistance and struggle. Two steps forward was followed by a step backward.

In spite of all the challenges he was facing, Josh had a sense he was on the right path. He felt a greater power pushing him forward and carrying him through the struggles. He was filled with a belief that everything happens for a reason. On the days he wanted to quit and give up, he’d get a call from someone who loved his work, and that person’s words of affirmation would fuel him to fight one more day.

Six months after rolling out the campaign to the company, however, Josh’s will seemed crushed. When he walked into his apartment, Dharma immediately sensed something was wrong. He wasn’t just tired, his spirit was gone. She came over to him and tried to cheer him up, but even dropping the ball on the floor and picking it up didn’t make him smile. Josh told her that they had had a leadership meeting, and a review of the numbers revealed that his campaign was not only not helping sales—it was actually hurting them. Sales had fallen substantially, and many blamed it on the campaign. Josh told company leaders that this was part of the process as they shifted to a new way of thinking and acting. He asked for more time for the power of purpose to replace the focus on short-term results. But his pleas fell on deaf ears, and he was told they were likely going to pull the plug on the initiative. That night he didn’t work on his computer. He didn’t listen to music. He went to bed with his clothes on and fell asleep.