An inner conviction to help others
Are you likely reading this article on a mobile device or computer with multiple apps open?
In fact, you’re probably thinking about the next thing on your to-do list or contemplating many other things, without really being present.
We are all guilty of that. Gone are the days of being attentive to the task at hand as our minds have become saturated with stimuli. We believe that if we are not attending to a million things at once, we are not productive.
And of course, we blame technology for our blindness, but remember, behind every technological device there is a user who controls it.
For this reason, I don’t buy the narrative that technology is to blame because we should be in control. When it becomes a weapon used against you, then it rules your life.
It is easy to be sidetracked from what is meaningful and to be dragged down a rabbit hole of despair with no way out.
You can be distracted by insignificant circumstances that demand your attention if you don’t place a high value on what is significant. Purposeful action arises with the intention and inner conviction to serve others or contribute to the world.
Author Victor J Strecher states in Purposeful Living: How Living For What Matters Most Changes Everything that a strong purpose is tied to your understanding of the world: “A great purpose in life stems from values that reflect an understanding of the world.”
You are guided to help the community or play a larger role in the lives of others because your purpose aligns with your core values.
For example, if you are affected by workplace misconduct, your mission might be to raise awareness of workplace misconduct. Personal experience drives you to change the culture of inappropriate behavior. Your mission is aligned with your values and intention to serve and alleviate the suffering of others.
Distracted from your purpose
I can relate to a mission that aligns with my values. I lost my father to illness decades ago. I remember in the years that followed being asked a simple question that got me to where I am today: “Why do some people get sick while others are healthy?”
I have been on a decade-spanning journey of discovery, learning why some people get sick while others thrive. I wrote a book on the subject and created a training program to support the book.
I learned many things along the way and helped countless people to heal and transform their lives, because they too were looking for answers.
“Purpose in life has to do with what we value most deeply, and living with purpose has to do with whether we are living for what matters most,” explains Victor J. Strecher.
Fulfillment is found through purposeful action, not meeting deadlines or having your head buried in the phone. These things distract you from your purpose and keep you entertained, neglecting what is important.
I have yet to meet someone who is not an app developer or person involved in the tech industry who is actually satisfied spending hours a day on their mobile device.
I don’t mean to berate technology, but I do point out how much time is wasted on pointless tasks that prevent you from performing a purposeful action. I realize that many people are scared to death to pursue their purpose, let alone realize they have one.
Purpose and purposeful action can spring from the same intention that aligns with your core values. Stealing time on a mobile device serves no other purpose than the manufacturer of the device and the phone company whose profits you finance.
Author and motivational speaker Brendon Burchard says in High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Get That Way: “Often the journey to greatness begins the moment our preferences for comfort and certainty are overridden by a greater purpose that requires challenge and contribution.”
Get out of your comfort zone and discover an intention that moves you in the least. People believe that determined action is aligned with a greater intention to change the world. It might or might not be. There is only one way to find out; take the first step.
Imagine your best future self
I was watching Ice T being interviewed on Jimmy Fallon recently and was drawn to a sentence he lives by.
He said, “Don’t lead life, ride life.”
Although it is a simple axiom, it underlines the need to flow with the currents of life. They get disappointed when it doesn’t go as planned and suffer the consequences.
“Don’t lead life, ride life.”
To Ride Life focus on purposeful action because when you find something that gets your boat moving, every minute counts, even if you’re struggling at first. For every surviving writer and artist, being creative far outweighs working at a job you loathe.
“Without courage, the adventure to genius and greatness cannot even begin,” confesses author Sean Patrick in Awaken your inner genius.
I have mentored many CEOs and senior executives over the years who say they regret not pursuing their passions or owning their own business. Instead, they are paid to pursue the company’s mission instead of focusing on their own. However, they are tied to this way of life to support their families and live a certain lifestyle.
Let me be clear, I am not condemning corporate culture in any way. These people are brave and courageous, but some (not all) reach a point in their lives where they regret it.
I am opposed to putting your life on hold and not taking bold risks because of limiting beliefs or social norms. These are traps to make you conform and limit your potential.
Brendon Burchard says, “Be more intentional about who you want to become. See beyond your current circumstances. Imagine your best future and start acting like that person today.”
My passion for writing, speaking in front of audiences, and coaching amazing people stemmed from a question after my father passed away. That question ignited a desire that led me on a quest and later became my calling. I often tell people that I could never have dreamed this life existed.
I remember talking to Year 10 students (equivalent to Freshman – High School in the US) late last year about discovering their passion and purpose. One student stood up and asked how she could find out what she is good at. My answer: “Fail often, learn fast, and never give up.”
Sports psychologist Stan Beecham’s message captures the essence of life’s narrative: “Being happy is not your life’s purpose. Being fully alive and awake is your life’s purpose. That includes the pain and struggle that is a critical and necessary component. to human existence.
Keep trying until you’ve exhausted all avenues.
I assure you that everything that inspires you has been purposefully placed as the seed of potential within you, to serve the lives of others.