Orange Map Their Purpose

Syracuse University student-athletes, coaches and staff had the opportunity to take part in the latest student-athlete development workshop which focused on defining a purpose for your life. This latest installment from The S-Project, a comprehensive development program for Syracuse student-athletes, was offered to all athletics staff and students. Mark Trumbo, Coordinator of Student-Athlete Engagement, led the one hour workshop.

During the session, participants had 60 seconds per question to answer a range of questions about themselves. Questions ranged from favorite things to do as a child, to what they believe the world needs, to what skills and talents they possess.

"I was surprised what things I thought of when Mark asked his questions," junior cheerleader Lia Bruno said. "I didn't realize how important some things really are to me in my life."

The point of limiting the time to respond is to force those answering to listen to their instincts. Over-thinking can lead to indecision and the point of the exercise is to act on those impulses your heart is telling your brain.

"We don't spend enough time investing in ourselves," Trumbo said. "We spend hours in the weight room, classroom and competitions without ever really asking ourselves why we are there in the first place."

Finally, participants are able to create a purpose statement. "The purpose statement sits right in the middle of the map," Trumbo said. "Everything starts from there. The purpose statement reveals why we are here. When we know our why, and leverage our skills and talents, we can live not just a life of achievements, but of success."

"Having already developed a coaching philosophy, I had a general idea of what my purpose statement would be ahead of the exercise," women's soccer assistant coach Kelly Lawrence said. "Going through the 18-plus questions showed me why my purpose statement was the way it was. The exercise taps into your unconscious and at times makes you feel a little uncomfortable, in a good way. You're forced to think and sit with your thoughts. So often, we don't feel we have the time to stop, think and reflect. However, this is something we should do every day if we want to truly be the best that we can be. Like a daily mental check or nudge. I found this session to be extremely beneficial and would recommend it to every athlete and every leader."

Syracuse University Athletics

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