Page 10 - FDI Alliance International Magazine Summer 2020 Digital Interactive Issue

KNOW YOUR PURPOSE:

THE KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

Twenty years of economic development experience Thriving—not surviving—economies can be take action. Every person can have results.
reveals a powerful lesson: know your purpose and powerful engines of social stability and community Imagine if everyone in a community knew their
take action. development. With civil unrest and/or infectious purpose, took action, and produced results.
disease mitigation roiling many places on earth, That would be a strong, sustainable and resilient
The lifeblood of any comprehensive economic economic and community developers have no economy with happy people and good quality
growth strategy is people. The skills and talents of choice but to ensure their respective jurisdiction of life. It is imperative for people to know their
people will—ultimately—determine whether an has the best economy it can have to weather the purpose and move forward.
economy survives or thrives. The principal goal storms and come out stronger.
of every economic and community development KNOW YOUR PURPOSE
professional should be to release the full potential THE KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH Why was I born? Why am I alive today? Why
of the people whose quality of life they seek to What is the key to economic growth? People should I wake up tomorrow? Most, if not all,
improve. knowing their purpose and taking action. people during their lifetime ask themselves one
or more of these questions. When looking upon
Investment incentives alone are insufficient to Communities with successful companies started the past, considering the present, and pondering
create long lasting economic growth. Although by gifted entrepreneurs have a similar story. the future, feelings of depression, anxiety, and
such policies can help attract new jobs and A person with a passion launches a business fear can be overwhelming if a person does not
capital investment if administered wisely, they endeavor producing valuable goods and/or know their reason for being.
must be aligned with a “people development services. Marketing brings product awareness
strategy” to deliver results sought after by most to the marketplace and the cash register starts Although many people know exactly why they
development organizations: reduced poverty ringing. The endeavor becomes an employer exist, many others do not. The simple and
and increased standard of living. and creates jobs. Expansion occurs and more straightforward manner to decoding the “why” of
jobs are generated. life is summed up in one word: love. Love reveals
Failure to pair investment incentive policies Thriving economies have the same DNA trait: purpose. A heartfelt commitment to loving
with people development strategies will result people who know their purpose and act upon people, regardless of what they think, say, or do,
in missed opportunities. People must always it. Economic growth is not a mystery solved by will enable anyone to see clearly what they are
be at the center of any economic development complicated incentive policies and elaborate called to do in life.
plan. Whether the people are employees or marketing strategies. It is a simple problem where
entrepreneurs, rooting and grounding the plan “one plus one equals two,” so to speak. The LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
based on their skills and talents will lay the equation is this: Purpose + Action = Results. Observed by many Jews, Christians and people
groundwork for robust economic growth. Every person has a purpose. Every person can of different faiths and cultures, “The Golden

10. FDI ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL