People who serve in leadership positions are often the ones in the spotlight, and they usually receive accolades for changing people’s lives. When it comes to finding your significance though, Dr. Kathleen Patterson contends it isn’t all about the spotlight.
“During my childhood, I lived in an orphanage,” says Patterson, who directs Regent University’s Doctor of Strategic Leadership Program. “When I was in the second grade, I did not know how to read. I remember my teacher taking me home and patiently working with me to help me learn how to read. She had no idea I would go on to get a college degree and a doctoral degree. She wasn’t in the spotlight, but she made a difference in my life.”
When people were asked, “If you could ask God or your supreme being any question and get an answer, what question would you ask?” The most frequently asked question was “What is my purpose? Or “Why am I here?”
“In many instances, people struggle to find their purpose, and they believe if they aren’t doing something significant in the world’s eyes, they can’t really make a difference,” Patterson says. “The reality is, that’s just faulty thinking. Just like my teacher, there are many men and women who aren’t in the spotlight, yet they are leading from the seat they are in and making a difference in people’s lives.”
Patterson contends that the world’s definition of significance may not necessarily be where people truly experience it. In fact, many believe that being the “top dog” will create significance.