READERS GUIDE

Reflection Questions

1.       At the outset of the book Jocelyn Benson writes about moments of fear that provide us with a choice: to retreat or press forward. She explains that “even in the most stressful, tumultuous times, a way through the rubble, the fear, and the chaos exists. It’s a path that can lead us all toward a place of confidence, clarity, and certainty, emboldened with resilience, courage, and strength. And that path can be found within all of us.”  Do you remember any moments in your life where things seemed uncertain and scary, and you discovered a way out of it? How did you do it?
 
2.       What are some ways you can take a moment in times of fear to find your power and use it to choose a next step that aligns with your values?
 
3.       Becoming a “purposeful” warrior means “finding a focus, something small or large you’d like to do, contribute to, or change, and moving forward with intention to further that focus.”  What are you a warrior for? How did you find that “focus” and has it evolved throughout your life?
 
4.       Part I of the book talks about the power of the purposeful warrior, found when we “stand up for others, call out bullies, raise our voices, and use grace and grit to make ourselves and our communities better.” Can you recall a time when you have raised your voice on behalf of an issue, or a person, against a seemingly more powerful other? How did you find the courage to do it, and what did you do? Were you happy with the immediate outcome? The long-term outcome? What did you learn about yourself in that moment?
 
5.       The dual power of “grace” and “grit” underscore the importance of being courageous and empathetic in our actions as a warrior for a purpose. What are some ways that you can show courage or “grit” in standing up to someone or for something, while at the same time finding empathy and showing grace?
 
6.       In chapter 5, Benson introduces the concept of “if it ain’t broke, fix it anyway,” which means finding opportunities to improve and innovate even in times when things seem “just fine.” How do you find something to fix when it does not appear “broken” to begin with? What are some ways we accept “just fine” instead of making it better, and how can we break out of that habit?
 
7.       Finding purpose in your rage, the subject of chapter 8, can provide important fuel for a warrior and a productive response to challenge or tragedy.  Recall a time when you’ve been enraged about something. Were you able to find a way to channel that rage into actions that were purposeful and productive? If not, why not? If so, how were you able to find that purpose even while you were angry?
 
8.       What does being “mission driven” mean to you?
 
9.       How does, or might, “putting people first” lead to “prosperity”? What kind of prosperity?
 
10.  Do you have a personal “board of directors”? Who is on it, or would be on it, and why? What about them makes you want them in your “tribe”?
 
11.  The final chapter in the book is about perseverance and resilience. What are some ways you can build a habit of resilience and perseverance?
 
12.  When has someone told you that you couldn’t do something and you believed them? How might you have defied their expectation and, in that moment, made a choice to try anyway?
 
13.  At the heart of this book is not only a pathway to approach life as a purposeful warrior but it also invites us to imagine what can be done if we build a community of purposeful warriors. What would this look like? How can we together, collectively, stand up for what’s right, for ourselves and those around us?
 
Exercise

The Purposeful Warrior offers nine steps to finding your power as a warrior and honing it toward your purpose. Look at each step below and list three to five ways that you can apply these nine steps to your path:

1. Show solidarity. Stand up for others and embrace others’ fights for fairness and dignity as your own.
2. Call out bullies. Speak truth to power, even if it means going rogue.
3. Speak your truth. Don’t give anyone else the power to define who you are and what you can accomplish.
4. Embrace challenges with grit and grace. Activate your bravery muscle and exercise it with kindness and empathy.
5. Commit to innovation and continuous improvement. Approach every task with an innovative spirit, question assumptions, and take what seems to be working just fine and make it extraordinary.
6. Channel anger into action. Take the fire that underlies pain and rage and transform it into action.
7. Be mission driven. Chase results, not accolades, and measure your impact through your effect on others’ lives.
8. Build your own board of directors. Work to intentionally surround yourself with people who will support you, mentor you, and help you stay on your path.
9. Never give up. Practice strength, resilience, and perseverance, and see challenges as an opportunity to grow stronger.