What were you put on this Earth to do? It seems like a simple question but so many people struggle with this idea of purpose. I believe that everyone has a purpose in life, to add value to the world with this purpose, and owes it to themselves to live out this purpose every day of their life. Identifying, acknowledging, and honoring this purpose is the most important action people can take in their life.
You see, without a purpose in life you get off track in your journey. It is all too easy to wander and get lost in life with so many distractions to keep our attention away from what were put on this Earth to do. In the end, we look back and see that we have accomplished very little in life.
Purpose brings fun and fulfillment to life that material things just can’t. Everything seems to fall in place, decisions become easier, and you find yourself doing what you love to do. With this love for what you are doing you accomplish more of what you are good at, adding needed value to this desperate world. When you truly are on purpose, the people, resources, and opportunities naturally make themselves available to you without much effort.
Author Brian Tracy wrote: “Decide upon your major definite purpose in life and then organize all your activities around it.”
So lets do a little exercise I picked up from the book “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
The Life Purpose Exercise is made up of four parts.
1. List two of your unique personal qualities, such as enthusiasm and creativity.
2. List one or two ways you enjoy expressing those qualities when interacting with others, such as to support and to inspire.
3. Assume the world is perfect right now. What does this world look like? How is everyone interacting with everyone else? What does it feel like? Write your answer as a statement, in the present tense, describing the ultimate condition, the perfect world as you see it and feel it. Remember, a perfect world is a fun place to be. Example: Everyone is freely expressing their own unique talents. Everyone is working in harmony. Everyone is expressing love.
4. Combine the three prior subdivisions of this paragraph into a single statement. Example: My purpose is to use my enthusiasm and caring nature to inspire and educate others to live a healthy lifestyle to reach their true potential in life.
The example is my own purpose in life. It helps to guide my interactions with people I come into contact with. By living your purpose, every interaction you have with people will always cause you to leave them better off than before they met you. Now, with it written down, place it in multiple places so you see it every day. Read it, say it to others, and you will own it as your life’s purpose. You are put on this Earth to make a difference and your purpose drives that difference – start making that difference today.
Dr. Brian Opp, Chiropractor