Do you lead a purposeful life?
Have you ever really sat down to think of where you are at this moment in your life? If you have, have you thought about if you’re truly getting the best out of life as you possibly can. And I mean the best with not having to worry about how the next bill is gonna get paid or how you’re gonna put food on the table. If you haven’t, have you asked yourself these questions. What do I want out of life? Who am I supporting? Am I supporting them enough? Am I living out the life I’ve dreamt of living? Am I financially stable? Let me tell you, in a recent poll, it states that eighty-five percent of Americans don’t like their job (Burrows). Take a second to think about that. And I’d like to give some tips to helping people get the best they can out of life. Are you one of those people?
How far are you willing to go to fulfill your purpose? I’m not saying just a few minutes from your day, or maybe you’re one of the people who say “I’ll get it done later” No purpose isn’t procrastination, fulfilling a purpose takes sacrifice. Do you love sleep? I read a quote once that stated that entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.
Do you know the true meaning of purpose? Take a second to think about the true meaning of it. At first, I thought the definition purpose was having meaning but it’s not just about having meaning in your life, it’s about the things you do to fulfill it, how you act in life. How do you think? Are you glass half full kind of person? Purpose not only affects you but the people around you
When you find a purpose for why you’re living, it alters your lifestyle. People with purpose in life tend to take care of themselves. Not only with what they’re doing in life but other things such as their health. A lot of the times, purpose can be exhausting and maybe even sometimes discouraging. But do you have a person, any person in mind who has succeeded and not failed? Just think, if they had let even the smallest of failures bring them down, do you think they’d be where they are today?
With purpose you tend to have pursuit and a vision of the kind of goals you want to set. In the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, there were five steps on how to do so
1.Be definite with the amount of money you want to make
2.Determine what you’re going to give back.
3.Establish the exact date you wanna get that money.
4.Create a definite plan to carry out your desire.
5.Read written statement twice a day morning and night
But not only does it pertain to money, but also deals with your personal life whether it’s growing closer to God, having a family, wanting another person to spend the rest of your life with. Remember the steps and be definite with what you want to do in life. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve come across in life who start doing something and just don’t finish. They start and fail, but leave it at that. How are we supposed to fulfill our life goals if we don’t carry them out? When you choose something, stick with it.
Hearing a sermon this past week pertained to our gifts and characteristics of who we are as people and as we go throughout life it shapes the person who we become. Who are you? I keep asking you that, but really think of who you are and what you were meant to be in life.
You know most people want things that others have but don’t realize the work it takes to get there. All they admire and want is what they’ve seen but they don’t know the struggles and hardships and failures that person has endured. Our future doesn’t come as we go on, we ourselves shape our own future. If you spend your whole life thinking all you’re gonna get in life is the short end of the stick, then I’m sorry to say but that’s all you’re gonna get. You have to reassess the way you think as an individual.
(Side note: Did you know “as we process 125–250 words per minute as they are being communicated to us. But when we think, we form thoughts at 1000–3000 words per minute[?] (Romig)” Imagine you telling yourself “I’m a failure” or “I’m no good.” Alright you say it once, but think of how many times you’re going to repeat it in your head. A dear friend of mine once said for every bad thing you tell or think to yourself, say or think five positive things so the good outweighs the bad.)
Anyways, going back to the sermon I recently heard, think of a bowl of lemons, a cup of sugar, and an empty pitcher. Think of the nice sweet product of lemonade that’s going to be produced. Now when someone makes that lemonade, people will ask “I want lemonade” or say “I’m gonna get lemonade” but not everyone is willing to do or go far to get what it takes to produce the wonderful hydrating product those ingredients can make. They’ve got the lemons and sugar hence their characteristics and gifts, and then they’ve got to go and retrieve the water, go retrieve the necessary things it takes for them to make the end product. Everyone wants lemonade on a hot sunny beating down day, but not everybody will make lemonade. And that’s that sad thing in life, most individuals get through life not fulfilling their purpose, their sweet goals that were destined for them.
So let’s start with this, whether it’s not having enough confidence, or time, or whatever it is your thinking, then stop thinking. Those are just excuses. Don’t have enough confidence in yourself? What do you need to work on? Is it your body? Work out. Don’t like public speaking? I mean you have to start somewhere. Sign up for Toastmasters International, and no trust me, I’m not advertising for them, they are a non profit organization which helps better yourself in confidence, leadership and especially public speaking. Go ahead start today, what’s stopping you? Are you saying “uhhhh nevermind” well go ahead, don’t start today, but if not today then when? If you want to get somewhere you need to start now. Don’t hold back.
You know, I believe in destiny and if you’ve gotten through this far in the blog then there’s a reason you’re sticking around. Somewhere inside of you is a lion wanting to to come out to take stride in the things you want and are destined to do. I believe you’ve come across this blog for a reason. Start with what you want to do today, actually start now when you’re done reading this blog of course. I know, you’re asking “where do I start?” Start with the five questions I listed earlier, then of course research if necessary and then go from there. So let me end with one question. If you truly feel you have purpose, do you have what it takes to live it out?
Burrows, S. (2018). 85% of People Hate Their Jobs, Gallup Poll Says. [online] Return to Now. Available at: https://returntonow.net/2017/09/22/85-people-hate-jobs-gallup-poll-says/ [Accessed 3 Jul. 2018].
Hill, Napoleon. Think and Grow Rich. New York: Fawcett Books, 1987.
Romig, J. (2015). Speed of speech < speed of thought. [online] Listen Like a Lawyer. Available at: https://listenlikealawyer.com/2015/09/24/speed-of-speech-speed-of-thought/ [Accessed 3 Jul. 2018].