Behold the Stars

I just found out that a great little magazine, Motto, has gone under. That’s too bad. Motto, whose tag line was “Purpose, Passion, Profit,” was part of a trend I see in our society that mixes personal meaning, compassion, community action, and capitalism. In magazines like Motto, Good, Ode, and Sustainable Style Magazine we see the beginning of a societal distancing from the cubicle Hell of long hours in meaningless jobs in the name of making money to buy things we don’t care about.

We can peek into this trend by taking a closer look at Motto Magazine. Here’s what the Sustainable Style Foundation says about Motto: “Founded from the belief that it’s impossible to have a meaningful life without meaningful work, Motto Magazine is focused on how to build a career (or even an entire company) with a deep sense of mission. It’s the magazine that believes that people want their careers to stand for more than a paycheck, and that everyone has the right to seek out the work life that makes them happy.”

Motto’s Manifesto speaks in more specific detail:

For the Individual:

We believe that people want their careers to stand for more than a paycheck.

We believe that everyone has the right to seek out the work life that makes them happy.

We believe that people shouldn’t have to check their personal values at the office door; instead those values should match their work environment

For Companies:

We believe that companies play a growing role in our society; they should be a force for good.

We believe there is a spirit of each business that shines into communities, employees and customers. That spirit can be as positive (or negative) as the leaders choose to make it.

We ardently believe in capitalism. Profitability drives possibilities.

Where They Come Together:

People want to connect to a company. Finding that sense of community leads to more fulfilling work.

Organizations with a strong mission attract people who work harder and smarter simply because they love being there. The result: the productivity companies crave, achieved humanely.

The “soft stuff,” as it’s sometimes derided, is as important as technology investment or financial structuring. When companies and individuals get it right, the power is remarkable.

You can change your company into a place that will attract people you want as teammates.

It’s all very idealistic, but what an ideal. Many, especially the young, are trending away from selfishness and toward a sense of community and purpose we haven’t seen since the 1960’s, but with a difference: this group believes tha social action is compatible with capitalism. It’s an exciting development for society.

So goodbye Motto magazine. We hardly knew ya’.

Make a great day.