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 are probably thinking about the next thing on your to-do list or contemplating many other things, without really being there.
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’re not taking care of a million things at once, we’re 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’s easy to be sidetracked from what’s meaningful and dragged down the rabbit hole of despair with no way out.
You can be distracted by insignificant circumstances that claim your attention if you do not 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 derives from values that reflect an understanding of the world.”
You are guided to help the community or play a bigger 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 about workplace misconduct. Personal experience prompts 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 identify with a mission that aligns with my values. I lost my father to illness decades ago. I remember in the years that followed I was asked a simple question that led me to where I am today: “Why do some people get sick while others are healthy?”
I’ve 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 on purpose has to do with whether we are living for what matters most,” explains Victor J. Strecher.
Fulfillment is found through purposeful action, not in meeting deadlines or burying your head 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 isn’t an app developer or a person involved in the tech industry who actually feels satisfied spending hours a day on their mobile device.
I don’t mean to scold technology, but I do point out how much time is wasted on meaningless tasks that prevent you from performing a purposeful action. I realize that many people are scared to death of pursuing their purpose, let alone realizing that they have one.
Purpose and purposeful action can stem from the same intention that aligns with your core values. Stealing time on a mobile device serves nothing more than the device manufacturer and the phone company whose profits you finance.
Author and motivational speaker Brendon Burchard says in High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become Extraordinary People: “Often, the journey to greatness begins when 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 purposeful 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 underscores the need to flow with the currents of life. They are disappointed when it doesn’t go as planned and suffer the consequences.
“Don’t guide life, ride life.”
To Ride Life focus on action with purpose because when you find something that shakes your boat, every minute becomes a purpose, even if you’re struggling at first. For every surviving writer and artist, being creative far outweighs working a job you hate.
“Without courage, the adventure to genius and greatness can’t 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 rather than focus 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 the 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 due to 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. Have a vision beyond your current circumstances. Imagine your best future and start acting like that person today.”
My passion for writing, speaking in front of the public, and training 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 that this life existed.
I remember talking to Year 10 (US High School Equivalent) students late last year about discovering their passion and purpose. A 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 the purpose of your life. Being fully alive and awake is the purpose of your life. 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 purposely placed as the seed of potential within you, to serve the lives of others.