The Cost of Ignoring Life's Purpose
Ever feel like you're drifting through your life down a path not meant for you? Do you want to change your trajectory and discover the true purpose of your existence?
The Ipad & The Vegetables
Today, I want to share a tale, a parable, that might resonate with your journey—a journey that becomes treacherous when purpose remains undiscovered.
Let me introduce you to Jane. A young girl who was renowned for her not-so-impressive gift-giving skills. Every Christmas, her family received presents that sparked more confusion than joy.
However, this year, a silent determination whispered in Jane's heart—she aimed to gift her father something truly special.
As she embarked on this quest, Jane wanted to be seen in the family as a thoughtful gift-giver within her family. But deeper than that, she craved the joy of witnessing her father's genuine happiness sparked by a gift from her heart.
The turning point came when Jane decided on an iPad for her father. Witnessing his sheer delight as he unwrapped the gift was a moment etched in her memory. It brought her immense joy and a sense of accomplishment.
Weeks passed, and a routine call to her parents shed light on her father's daily iPad use. Ecstatic, Jane felt triumphant in her gift choice. However, the story took an unexpected turn during a subsequent visit.
As she knocked on the door and exchanged hugs with her mother, Jane inquired about her father. With a smile, her mother directed her to the kitchen. What she encountered there left her utterly speechless.
Her father, completely occupied, was using the iPad not for its intended purpose, but as a chopping board for bell peppers, onions, and jalapenos.
The shock left Jane paralyzed; she couldn't say a word. Witnessing her father rinse off the iPad and place it in the dishwasher, he casually turned, noticing her presence with a puzzled expression.
"Honey, didn't expect you so soon! Why the nervous look?"
This is a lesson that should hit home with millions of people.
In the grand scheme of things, many of us navigate the journey of life without truly understanding our life's purpose. We live, make plans, set goals, and move forward without grasping the essence of our being.
But here lies the predicament—if you're navigating life without knowing your life's purpose, you risk falling into the categories of misuse, abuse, or complete non-use of your life and its resources.
Each soul on this Earth has a purpose—a unique set of gifts to contribute to this thing called life. It's your duty and privilege to unravel this purpose, serving the world in your distinct way.
However, it also becomes your responsibility to steer clear of the three forbidden uses: abuse, misuse, and unused potential.
Now, let's dive into these teachings, using them as signposts guiding you through the journey of self-discovery.
The 3 Forbidden Uses
A Life Misused
Misuse implies that something is done with the wrong intent. The intent can even be good.
You can do something for the morally right reasons but have intentions other than the original intent which can qualify as misuse.
A lot of people go throughout their lives and they're doing a good thing, they're performing a good deed, but if it is not the right thing that was destined and created for you then it can still qualify as misuse.
Just like in the story, there is nothing inherently wrong with cutting vegetables on a chopping board. However, it does qualify as misuse to use an iPad as a chopping board because that is not the original intent behind the iPad.
It is the same way with our life's purpose. There's an original intent for you being here on this earth, and if you don't identify what that is then you run a high probability of misusing your life and all of the resources that come along with it.
Here's What You Can Do About It
Here are a few things that you can do if you've been reading this and you realize that there's a potential that you have been misusing your life and all of its resources.
The first thing that you need to do is do some self-reflection.
What is the thing in your life that has been the object of your attention? Identify what has been getting all of your energy. What is the current overarching theme of your life?
Ask yourself is this worthy of my life, time, and energy?
Remember that just because a deed is ethical does not mean that it is your calling.
So identify what it is that's been taking the place of your calling and ask yourself do I want to stop misusing my life and start using my life following the purpose for me being here?
A Life Unused
Famous motivational speaker and influencer Les Brown said in one of his speeches that one of the richest places on earth is the graveyard.
The reason he said that is because there are Billions of unused ideas, unfulfilled dreams, and untapped potential that went into the graveyard with the people they were trapped inside of.
Statistics show that only 8% of people who create a New Year's resolution actually bring it to fruition.
If it's only 8% for an annual goal how much less do you think the percentage is for living a purpose-driven life?
A life unused is a life that is dominated by fear, doubt, and indecision. Living a purpose-driven life means that you are willing to build the courage required for you to embody the identity that you were brought here to live.
It means stepping out, even when you're afraid, and serving your gift to the people that you are called to serve. This is why so many people live a life unused. It's difficult to live a life that is “used up”.
Here's What You Can Do About It
If you fall into this category I recommend exposure therapy. One of my mentors always says that your level of success will be determined by your level of exposure.
The only way to change a belief is to be exposed to a new experience that's charged with enough emotion that it can serve as new evidence for what is possible.
So if your life is unused it's because you are trapped by negative emotions.
Emotions such as fear, doubt, indecision, worry, and anxiety. The only way to get past these emotions is to expose yourself to the very thing that is causing fear in your heart.
This is the path to proving to yourself new possibilities. I know that you feel a pull towards the very things that you are afraid of. But that pull is your confirmation that those things are part of your destiny.
You just have to be willing to step into it.
Even if it's a baby step…it's better than no step.
A Life Abused
While living a life of misuse is easy to go unnoticed, living a life of abuse is not so easy to go without being noticed.
Individuals who are abusing their lives and the resources that they have been blessed with are a little more…loud.
When abuse presents itself it holds the nature of ill intentions. With misuse and unuse, often intentions are good.
You mean to do the right thing and in some cases, you even are doing a good deed.
But in the case of abuse, you mean to do the wrong thing and you know that you're doing something that is causing harm and damage to the world.
Even though there may be fewer people who fall into this category, it still holds significance because of the culture in our society.
Here's What You Can Do About It
The biggest thing that you can do if you're living a life of abuse is to seek out purpose.
Most people who are living a life in a state of drift do not have something to look forward to.
They may even be in a situation that feels hopeless. They may even be in a circumstance in which they feel that it is necessary for them to do bad things to get out of their present circumstance.
To get a new hope and obtain a new direction purpose discovery is going to be a catalyst that can move you in a positive direction.
Having a purpose can remove you from a life full of strife and pessimism toward a life full of freedom and meaning.
How To Start Living On Purpose
I hope the words within this post have been valuable to you, can serve you, and can move you to make a difference in your life and the world.
If you read throughout this post and you've noticed that you may fall into one of these three categories…
if you recognize you don't know what your life's purpose is…
if you feel like you're being called or pulled in a specific direction but you feel lost…
If you just can't seem to find clarity around what it is that you're supposed to be doing…
if you are working at a job and you feel like the job is not for you…
If you feel like there's a calling on your life to be more and to serve the world at greater heights…
if you're in a position in your life where you're about to go through a major transition and you have little to no clarity around what you need to be doing next…
Then I invite you to take a free purpose assessment to find out where you are in your journey of purpose.
If you were in a strange building and you had a limited amount of time to get out. And the building was huge! The first thing that you should do is find a map of the building.
Typically when you look at a map it'll show you where you are in relation to where you want to go.
This purpose assessment is that map that shows you where you currently are and how to get to the point where you can have clarity in your life around what you should be doing to have the most fulfillment, meaning, and clarity around who it is that you are destined to become, and the Legacy that you are meant to leave behind.
Summary
In closing, I encourage you to embark on your own personal journey of purpose. Recognize the signs, reflect on your life, and take the steps towards a more meaningful existence. The Purpose Pad is here to support you on this transformative journey in many different ways. Remember, living on purpose is a choice – choose to live on purpose…not default!
Take Your Purpose Assessment Yet?
See where you are on your journey to purpose.
