There was traveler who met two men working in a stone quarry. Both men were working on the back-breaking job of carving rocks. When the traveler asked the first man what he was doing, the answer was: “I’m cutting stone,” but when the traveler asked the second man what he was doing, the man answered: “I am building a cathedral.” The first man just showed up to a job. The second man has a purpose. Great people from biblical characters like Moses and Solomon, to modern day leaders like Nelson Mandela or Donald Trump have a purpose. Moses was to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt; Solomon to build the temple, Nelson Mandela to break apartheid and Donald Trump to lead a significant change in US economic and foreign policy.

As cathedrals took decades or a century to complete, few people who worked on them expected to see them finished during their lifetimes. Being involved in the construction of a cathedral, even as patron or donor, required a willingness to be part of a process that was larger than oneself. Modern day companies are similar, certainly bigger and longer lasting than one person. A company is just a group of people with a mission to sell widgets or provide a service. But great companies have a purpose too: Google wants to organise the world’s information; Microsoft put a computer on every desk; and Coca-Cola to be within an arm’s reach of desire. At Paradise Foods, I often tell people we do not make food. A shocking revelation from the CEO of the country’s largest foods producer, however we have a much higher purpose. Our purpose is to feed the people of Papua New Guinea. Every day, our products feed the people of our country in their home or at work, and all 1,235 employees in this company are proud to be motivated by this responsibility.

My own purpose is job creation. That motivates me. Our board of directors will measure my performance by profit and sustainability, but I will measure my impact by the number of jobs I create, which conveniently becomes possible when I deliver profit and sustainability.

Do you have a purpose? 1/3 of your life will be spent at work, so you should do what you love to do, or you’ll be going to work only to cut rocks. “Find a job you love and never work a day in your life,” a quote often attributed to Mark Twain. A life with purpose means a job you love. I love my job, and can’t wait to get up in the morning and go to work. I get to create jobs and positively impact the lives of my employees and consumers. Do you have a job that makes you forget to eat… or not look at your watch? You don’t have to be an airplane pilot or a CEO. Whether you fly airplanes or pilot a company, you need to find your passion.

Having passion and purpose is what sets leaders apart. Leaders do not have an easy time, and they always encounter obstacles and difficulties. Successful people don’t just show up: they are people of perseverance, and they have a purpose that empowers them. Once you have a purpose, be sure your company does too. Companies are only a combination of people. They can be a combination of bored people or a combination of inspired people who make a difference. I want my company to be the latter. I want us to make a difference. I want us to build a cathedral.