| Discovering and designing a purpose for yourself is | | | | had been all along. I began writing and sending my |
| probably the most important defining moment in | | | | inspirational writings to friends and family and they |
| your life. Contrary to popular belief, you don't | | | | enjoyed my message. I still had to keep a day |
| have to be Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela to | | | | job during this time and actually went through |
| have a purpose with your life. So many people | | | | some major economic turmoil with the last real |
| are like robots that pick the safe route for | | | | estate crisis. I let this turmoil and pain get me |
| themselves. We often let parents, spouses, and | | | | once again out of my life's purpose and I went |
| society determine for us what we will do for the | | | | into survival mode. |
| rest of our lives. We feel unfulfilled and we don't | | | | When you don't spend at least a part of your day |
| know why. It is because we are stifling a part of | | | | working toward your purpose, you get back into |
| ourselves that we always knew wanted to be | | | | the old trap of smothering and forgetting it. It |
| out. There are better singers than Beyonce who | | | | wasn't until a recent point in my life when I |
| have never seen a stage. There are better artists | | | | realized that I was on the right path once and I |
| than Van Gogh, who will never pick up a paint | | | | got off it just because I was not seeing |
| brush. There is a basketball player with more raw | | | | immediate financial rewards for living by my |
| talent than Michael Jordan who will never reach | | | | purpose. I reread my purpose that had been |
| the courts. Anyone who does not work toward | | | | sitting in my wallet for two years and I started |
| their purpose on a consistent basis is robbing | | | | writing again. Now I know that I will not stop until |
| themselves and the world of the talents they | | | | I am making a living doing my purpose. So despite |
| have to give. | | | | distractions, jobs, and feelings, I work toward my |
| For a big part of my life, I thought goals and | | | | purpose at some point every day. It feels great! I |
| dreams were the guiding force for my life. I knew | | | | want everyone to have that feeling. There is a |
| I wanted the businesses, the exotic vacations, the | | | | purpose out there that you were designed for. It |
| homes, the cars, and contributions but I did not | | | | is up to you to discover it. Do an exercise similar |
| have a foundation for which to work toward my | | | | to the one I did in order to discover it.oFind a |
| goals. I read the book "The Success Principles" by | | | | quiet place. Breathe in and breathe out while |
| Jack Canfield when I was in a crossroads in my | | | | clearing all the other thoughts in your head.oThink |
| life. I learned that I needed to design a purpose | | | | back as far as your childhood and into the |
| for my life instead of shooting for a series of | | | | present. When did you feel the happiest and most |
| random goals. I was a Real Estate agent and | | | | fulfilled, what activity or job were you |
| making good money but I did not feel fulfilled. I | | | | doing?oWrite down adjectives and verbs that |
| sat down in front of my computer with a blank | | | | describe what you were doing. (If you discover |
| document and started to think of times in my life | | | | that you are already doing your purpose then you |
| when I was the happiest and felt most fulfilled. | | | | are ahead of crowd and keep doing it.)oWrite |
| I remembered a time when I was training people | | | | down a sentence in the present tense that |
| in how to give good customer service and be | | | | describes you actually living by your |
| good managers. I loved the connection I had with | | | | purpose.oKeep this small piece of paper with you |
| the people. I remember I had a great ability to | | | | where you go.oYou don't have to quit your day |
| make people laugh and understand the principles I | | | | job yet. Just find time to do it every day even if |
| was teaching. | | | | in some small way. |
| I remembered about certain essays and short | | | | Perhaps you have a regular office job but you |
| stories that I wrote that people told me they | | | | believe your purpose is helping children. So find a |
| really liked. I remember the feeling I had when I | | | | way to volunteer a few hours a week in an |
| was able to connect with people through my | | | | orphanage or a children's hospital. Perhaps you feel |
| writings. | | | | your purpose is to start a business based on |
| I remembered all the books I read and seminars I | | | | something you are passionate about. So find a |
| attended on personal development and how it | | | | way to start researching and creating steps to |
| made me feel. It was these feelings of that help | | | | begin your business, even if it starts out very |
| me to put together my Life's Purpose: | | | | small. You get the point, right? You gain |
| I am happily speaking, writing and creating new | | | | momentum by just doing it. The details will unfold |
| empowering ways to help transform businesses | | | | as you move along on your purpose. It is easy to |
| and people's lives. I help others to be free of fear | | | | get distracted with life or let something get you |
| and repression. | | | | down and into survival mode. Push through those |
| I then went home and only worked on doing jobs | | | | feelings and continue to visualize the feeling you |
| that had to do with training and speaking. I joined | | | | will have when you are truly making a living by |
| the American Society for Training and | | | | doing what it is that your heart has always been |
| Development and I met with other speakers and | | | | telling you to do. Go and make the world a better |
| trainers. I now was clear on what my purpose | | | | place by living and acting on your desires. |