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Welcome, This month has been all about settling into new routines, while also revisiting old patterns to see what might still be lingering in the background, and taking a few lessons from that along the way.
About two years ago, I had this clear goal to start a podcast and create a space to talk about my more futuristic thoughts and the social impact of where technology is heading. At the time, I found myself consistently on the pulse of what was coming next, not just in terms of the technology itself, but how the industry would move and evolve around it. I was lucky to have some incredible people in my orbit, with conversations in inboxes, introductions, coffee dates, and just moments with some of the sharpest minds in Oceania. And what always struck me was how much of what was being discussed never really made it beyond those rooms. I wanted to create a space to share those ideas more openly. But at some point, I let myself be swayed by my own doubts, by the pressure of expectations, and by the reality of how quickly narratives can form in a city like Auckland. So I tucked the idea away. And for a while, I made myself smaller than I needed to be, spending my time finding magic in the forest. Still, the thought never really left. It kept coming back, “do the podcast,” “say the thing,” “just start.” To the point where it stopped feeling like a choice, and more like the most obvious move I hadn’t made yet. What’s followed has been a lot of trial and error, especially when it comes to showing up publicly again while navigating a personal identity journey. But more than anything, it’s been a reminder to do the thing anyway, even if it looks a bit different, even if it doesn’t immediately make sense to anyone else or even to yourself. Because when you follow that internal pull towards the things that feel interesting, natural, and what just feels like you, it tends to lead somewhere. Sometimes it’s a conversation, sometimes it’s an idea, sometimes it’s just a moment that stays with you. But all of it counts. I don’t believe in dismissing the stepping stones that get you to where you’re going. They matter. And just as importantly, so does holding your ground when something, or someone, tries to pull you off your path. So for me, this month has been about the pursuit of purpose. Putting structure around the life I’m building, and the business I’m growing, in a way that can hold both who I am now, and who I’m becoming. There’s the formula I always come back to from Plato and other philosophers, and the idea of three forms of union. The first is with yourself, when your inner and outer worlds start to feel like they’re working together. The second is with your “lost half” and the people you connect with and experience life alongside. And the third is what happens when those connections begin to extend outward, and together you create something bigger. Building a business or innovating something isn’t so different. First, you find your own footing. Then you find your relationship with the work itself. And when that’s solid, it has the potential to grow into something that moves beyond you. That, in a nutshell, is the pursuit of purpose.
Best, Alison Mackie
Founder & Director
RobinsonHewitt Consulting
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