In this month’s T-U-S, I want to speak more on a subject that I have covered in some of my past blog posts. I want to speak more about your reason and purpose in life. I believe that this is one of the strongest motivators a person can have in their life. You often see parents who will live and die for their children or the person who will give every ounce of their energy for a cause. Whatever your reason or purpose for doing something and committing to a cause, there has to be a real reason why you do things. Do you just do a task to make a buck, or do you handle your business/get the job done and make the world a better place?
The thing about making the world a better place is that you can start today. You can be the fertile soil that helps others grow, or you can be the weeds that stunt any growth. For example, a baker who gives away free bread that did not sell at the end of the day to people in need is a person who is making a positive difference in the community. A bad example would be a drug dealer who sells illegal drugs to others in a community. Regardless, if the dealer is having a lush life and living well, it does not mean his reason for doing this is valid. The reason and purpose in life should not only bring you joy but also bring joy to others. That leads me to my top three ways to stay in your reason/ purpose.
The first reason is Your life’s purpose. Your purpose in life should always be the main factor for you waking up each day and taking care of business. If you are waking up each day and dread going to work or just want the weekend to come, then you are not living in your purpose. This is why so many people are depressed and do nothing about it. These people feel stuck and don’t know what to do.
Not knowing your purpose or what makes your life shine is the goal of today’s blog. What makes you smile and happy? What can you do all day and never get tired from doing that thing? Now, you are human, so you will get tired and need a rest, but your purpose is something that will keep coming back to you in your life. You cannot run or hide from your purpose. In order to define a purpose, you must find what you love to do.
If you love to stay on the sofa and watch TV, that is fine, but that is not your purpose. Your purpose should be able to change the world. You sitting on your sofa at home will have little impact on the world. That is the main reason why people get stuck. They are afraid to be loud. We are taught to raise our hands and to not speak out of turn, but your purpose should be loud and so important that it is always your turn. Each day is your day to make your dreams come true.
The best way I help clients find their purpose is to write down 25 things they want/like in their life. These can be dreams, goals, or aspirations. This exercise is tough because you will write down 11-12 things and then get stuck. This is where you have to push and keep writing until you get to 25. This is important because you will define what your purpose is and also what are the things that you are holding you back. There is no one like you, and that list of 25 things you write will be as unique as your DNA.
The second reason is the effect you can have on the world. You are a walking miracle, and there is only one of you. You have the ability to create things that maybe no one else will think of. You are unique beyond measure, but the school system is built to make us cogs in the system. Schools do not teach us how to be successful and make a difference in the world. What schools teach us are the fundamentals of learning. Our creativity and imagination have been stiffened for so long that we forget we have it hidden.
The effect you can have on the world is your imagination and dreams. Those two things put together can help you to create something that can change the world for the better. Whether you create a company or a product, you can do good unto the world. For example, I was in the mall the other day, and there was an organization raising money to help countries that do not have clean drinking water. We can sometimes take things for granted easily because we grew up with the American dream. That dream is flawed, though. The dream is an average dream built for a middle-class or lower individual. Where in the American dream does it say to change the world? It doesn’t, so that means you have to see the change you want for the world and be it.
In order to have an effect on the world, make sure you are living within your purpose/gift. You might be the best hairdresser in the town, so why not do hair for a living? You can help others increase their self-confidence just by making their hair look amazing. The saying, “If you look good, you feel good,” applies to this dream. The simple act of doing hair has made a difference for that individual, and a ripple effect has taken place. The ripple effect is the outcomes of your actions. Those ripples will continue to spread and grow bigger as time passes. The ripples you set forth in the world will be the difference/effect you will have on it.
Make sure that you are not afraid to be heard. The effect you have on the world will only come if you are making yourself known. You do not need the whole world to know who you are, but if you live in your reason/purpose for being here, then you will make a difference where it is needed. You might be living in your purpose right now. Perhaps you are a parent, teacher, doctor/nurse, or civil servant. Every job has a purpose, but making sure that purpose aligns with your beliefs is crucial to your overall satisfaction in life and how much influence you will have on the world.
The third reason is to have fun. This sounds so simple, but it is the most overlooked part of living. We oftentimes see work, bills, and the weekend as the premise of our life’s story. However, we might have some nights out with friends or sprinkle our years sparingly with vacations and travel excursions. The whole point of living is not just to work until you die. Most people go a whole life never being aware/awake and having never truly lived. Sitting around letting the world smack you around, and then you telling yourself that life is rough, then you have to refocus yourself.
It is in those rough times to be sure you are paying attention. These times will allow you to come up with solutions to your problems and conclude what is causing you any type of turmoil. All that is left is to have fun and enjoy life. They say that “If you do what you love to do – then you never work a day in your life” is coming around full circle. People are no longer taking jobs to fulfill their purpose. Most people will be happy with a job that pays the bills with a little extra to have every once in a while. The purpose of life is to know your reason, do it (making your difference), and have fun and enjoy what life has in store for you;
Life is a mixture of good and bad moments. Sadly, as we grow older, we let the bad moments hold us longer than the good moments. We let those down times stop us from fulfilling our reason or purpose. I have found that as long as you try to have fun and find a good/lesson at every moment, it allows you to have more fun overall. Now, going to work five days a week might not be your perfect idea of fun, but what is stopping you from reaching that ideal moment of fun? What is stopping you from making the choices that are best for you and not others? Knowing what you want and enjoy will lead to you having fun each day.
In conclusion, the three steps to redefine your reason are to define and follow your purpose in life, make an everlasting change in the world, and have fun in life. These three steps can help you redefine how you live your life so that you wake up excited each morning. Your days should not be filled with grief and uncertainty. That is no way to live life. You have to make sure that you are committing to your best self each day. It is vital that you do what you were made for. You are not here on accident, so let your main reason today be on purpose.
Until then,
Michael Rearden
Founder of Reven Concepts