The role of “The Spare” It does highlight the importance of possessing purpose.

Whatever one’s views and thoughts in relation to Prince Harry’s book launch, it is generally agreed that the one thing which has come out of it is to highlight the problem and role of “The Spare”.

In olden days, when disease and war were more frequent, then the role of the sibling to an hier or monarch had greater importance but in the modern world, there has been a struggle to find a defined role for many of the Royal Family who do not hold central positions. Princess Margaret clearly struggled, just as Prince Harry appears to have done.

Without being drawn into the rights and wrongs of many of the issues raised, it does all highlight the importance of possessing genuine purpose in life. Once that purpose is diluted, it has been well illustrated that many seem to lose their perspective and clarity.

This has long been a well recognised issue amongst high achievers who retire or are replaced. What do you do with a high achiever, who is still driven but who has been overtaken by time?

It also relates to many executives who have become “stuck” in their roles or organisations and felt a loss of meaning. They naturally become destructive, divisive and less productive. Is it the organisations fault? Or does the individual have a responsibility to find purpose themselves?

It has long been argued that each one of us will need to reinvent ourselves three times in our careers. It is a natural part of a career path and we need to be prepared to learn and adapt. Those who don’t will naturally struggle.

It does highlight the importance of mentoring to even the most established individuals and it also all illustrates the importance of having purpose. It has proven that those individuals with a strong sense of purpose do tend to live longer, have healthier hearts, and are more psychologically resilient.

Work is a great source of meaning, which explains why retiring early is associated with reduced longevity and a higher risk of dementia. This evidence also shows why we need a sense of purpose that transcends work, so we don't decompensate when our jobs shift, when we take leave, or when we retire. A sense of meaning in one’s work also benefits organizations as employees with a strong sense of purpose work harder and stay longer.

The problem is that very few seem able to find their purpose unless it is almost given to them. They struggle to reinvent themselves or find a new path. It is easy to talk about purpose but if people struggle to find it themselves then what is to be done?

The problem lies in that there is often a gap between what we want and how we act. We may want a purposeful life but many think about it rather than enable it. It doesn’t just happen; it is a mind-set which takes time to cultivate. It also doesn’t need to be about grand deeds but about simple behaviours.

Returning to the point about retirees, as their career fades and their previous brilliance in work is forgotten, what often remains is their kindness and behaviours. It is these behaviours which ends up defining their legacy and who they are.

So often many hoteliers are remembered by their guests for many years after their departure for how they behaved. The same in relation to restaurants. The good thing, for those in hospitality, is that it is easy to possess purpose and many enter the industry as they enjoy seeing people enjoy their time.

However, for many others, it is a struggle and maybe this does need more recognition than it is given?