Work, Health, and Purpose with Mark Cawman, PhD

Sersie and Gigi unpack the connection between work, health and purpose with Dr. Mark Cawman.  Dr. Mark Cawman is an Assistant Professor of International Business, Strategic Management, and Organizational Performance at Azusa Pacific University. Prior to accepting a role as full-time faculty, Mark spent 26 years in Senior Management roles in industry (automotive and aerospace sectors), most recently as Vice President of an aerospace company.  His primary research considers cultural implications in work and task design, especially in support of International Business work transfers, and external factors for foreign entry.  He continues to research and publish in the areas of Strategic Management, International Business, Culture, Equity, and Organizational Performance. Mark also has done some secondary research and writing in the area of vocational Choice, Change, and Calibration.  He frames this research around his 7P model (Purpose, Passion, Priorities, Person, Preparation, Prayer, and Praise).  This is very personal to him as he completed a master’s and doctorate degree after the age of 40 and had his first child at 47 after giving up on having children.  After his daughter was born, he started an introspective and discernment phase following this 7P model. Mark realized stress and priorities in his life were impacting him physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  He did not like who he had become as a person, and wanted to be more missional in vocation, and focused on his daughter.  Accordingly, he has made significant changes since 2019, supported in prayer.  He now believes he is aligned with purpose and passion through a vocational change that he realized he had significant preparation for.  This also allowed priority changes as he focuses on his daughter.  He realized that he had coped with stress and overall neglected his health through poor eating, bad habits, and neglect.  He put priority on his health as he had a purpose (living well and long for his young daughter), and he was blessed to be reinvented as a person, and now can re-enjoy many of his hobbies that had been his passion when he was younger.  Today his is full of praise as he enjoys a fulfilling career, considerably more time and energy for his daughter and family, a closer walk in his faith, and he lost 80 pounds between mid-January and mid-May!  He supports the message of Gigi and Sersie that health is aligned with purpose, but he speaks to a holistic consideration of vocation and life obligations, spiritual care, and health as a comprehensive well-being.  Join us as he discusses how these can overlap and help or hinder each other in achieving a person that is centered spiritually, physically, emotionally, and vocationally through purpose.