What makes you happy - Your Purpose?
Every now and then we hear the word Purpose and we say, yeah that's the problem, I’m not doing what I love, the passion is gone from my job, my life and I’m not happy. Perhaps it's your time to suffer that midlife crisis situation you’ve heard so much about. No matter what the issue, you have the blues and are demotivated, asking is this all there is?
But let's be real here for a moment and ask how many people we know are living their purpose deliberately? If they are not, are they doing something about it or have they done the work and are living the dream? The most likely scenario is folks put their heads down and hope things will work out or when they retire the ducks will be lined up. Most don’t have much of a retirement plan just yet, but at least its on a to do list, even if its the to do list in our heads.
Purpose can feel like the Holy Grail, something you would love to believe in and find but reality moves you back to your next meeting or next series on the TV. We may also think that purpose has to be this big lofty vision of creating a life where you are helping millions, have all the free time in the world, have oodles of money or not but you don’t care as you are doing what you love and happy all day everyday. Talk about setting you up for pain not to mention how mammoth that kind of purpose is to attempt and make happen.
Purpose does not have to be like this, it only has to make you happy. I emphasize you and not anyone else no matter what they think. Your purpose could be that you work hard in your job you semi-like but it serves a purpose to pay the bills, put a roof over your head and enables you to work on your hobbies and social activities that motivate and give you joy. Nothing wrong with this type of purpose if it makes you happy. But is there an easy way onto the purpose path so we don’t get lost? Yes there is and it only takes 3 simple thoughts:
1. Forget about goals or challenges for a moment!
Let's think about the bigger picture you are drawn too? Some say you need a vision or a personal mission statement. You can do that, I have but it's not for everyone and then is it succinct enough you can remember? An easier way; think about what you really love, what you really want, what you like doing or have done in the past that made you happy but don’t do anymore. Then see that picture, that reality and create a vision board in a place you will be every day reminding you of how you want to live in the future. I drew pictures and hung them over my desk along with other quotes that were important to me. Embedding into my mind where I am going.
My Vision Wall
2. Make the best out of what I have
If we look in a grateful way at what we already have and the potential opportunities in front of us, perhaps there is a way to use our circumstances more? Is there a way to practice and experiment new ways of working or new opportunities in your daily life and job? There is always something you can view differently if you have a positive mindset and physiology to spot it. You might loathe certain tasks in your life and now you only feel pain for that work. You have decided to feel pain but you could easily tell yourself a new story and practice new opportunities when doing those tasks. Its similar when someone wants to move into a senior position, before they make the move they should be working as if they have that new role now. Applying the mindset, practices and performance standard of what is required.
3. Get on the first run of the ladder
You don’t need to have the whole picture or plan in place. Starting is the hardest thing to do and what better strategy then to just start. Begin with something small even if it's for 20 minutes, get moving. 20 minutes everyday after a few weeks is a lot compared to doing nothing. We’re brought up to believe nothing good comes easy and you have to work hard for everything but that could translate into way too much work so why would I start. Change can happen in an instant like you download a book onto your kindle and start reading for 20 minutes. Then as you go experiment and keep trying things as you learn to hit the target. If your direction changes then great because now you know what you don’t want and are closer to your target. Remember most give up very early on so keep going, find your partner in action, a motivation partner to help you stay on the path to live your purpose. Your true-self living your true-life.
