Do you have a purpose driven life? When you rise in the morning do you know if you are doing what you are meant to do?
In Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, he lists five common things that drive a person's life: “1. Guilt. These people spend their entire lives running from regrets and hiding their shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated by memories. 2. Resentment and anger.
These people hold onto hurts and never get over them. Some resentment- driven people “clam up” and internalize their anger, while others “blow up” and explode into others. 3. Fear. These fears may be a result of a traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, growing up in a high control home, or even genetic predisposition. Regardless of the cause, fear-driven people often miss great opportunities because they’re afraid to venture out. 4. Materialism. Their drive to acquire becomes the whole goal of their lives. This drive to always want more is based on the misconceptions that having more will make a person happy, more important, and more secure, but all three are untrue. 5. Approval. They allow the expectations of parents or spouses or children or teachers or friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to win the approval of their parents.”
Warren goes on the say that there are five great benefits to leading a purpose driven life: “1. Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life. We were made to have meaning. 2. Knowing your purpose simplifies your life. It defines what you do and don’t do. 3. Knowing your purpose focuses your life. It concentrates your effort and energy on what’s important. 4. Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose always produces passion. 5. Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity. Living to create an earthly legacy is a short-sighted goal. A wiser use of time is to build an eternal legacy.”
As I’ve gotten older I have spent much more time thinking through these issues. When I was younger I was so driven to achieve the traditional goals-money, power, etc. and didn’t really wonder about my purpose. I was always the driven “alpha dog” and never questioned the real purpose I had. On some level I knew what my purpose was (as I’ve come to find out). Luckily I was driving down a path that was close, but not quite in sync with my purpose of promoting values based leadership. Now I know for a fact that my path is in complete alignment with my life’s purpose. This provides me passion and inspiration on a daily basis. I feel confident that it can do the same for you.
When I was in the corporate world I never would have pondered these things. It was way too touchy-feely. I can now appreciate what spending some time on these issues earlier in my life would have provided me. I believe that it is never too early or too late to find passion through discovering your true purpose.
Request the Life Purpose Workbook offered in the right hand column. Spend a bit of time working through it and see what evolves. Defining your true purpose in life can provide that passionate spark that you may be missing.
