Wednesday, January 18, 2012

What Is Your True Purpose? Part 1


What Is Your True Purpose?
Seven Characteristics of Unstoppable People
Part 1 in a Seven-Part Series
Based on ideas from the book Unstoppable by Cynthia Kersey


One of my favorite quotes on focus and purpose is this:  “Define your mission!  Define your mission and stick to it.”


I found this in Winds of War by Herman Wouk.  In this book, Mr. Wouk recounts a scene in which General E. J. Tillet, military author and one of the Commanding Generals for England during WWII, is speaking to the main character named Pug Henry.  Tillet is making an observation about Herman Goring that is applicable to our topic.  He said this about Goring,

“He’s wasted a whole bloody month bombing harbors and pottering about after convoys.  He’s only got till September the fifteenth.  His mission is mastery of the air, not blockade.  Define your mission!  Define your mission and stick to it!” 

Question:  What is your mission?  What is your purpose for whatever it is that you are doing with your life and want to do with your life?

Missions are great.  They help point the way.  They help define who we are, and they need defining.

I have known for years that I am a people person and I love to encourage individuals and groups.  But I kept falling a bit short of what all of that meant.  After reading Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell for the tenth time it finally hit me what my defining mission in life is and I gained a new focus with a more defined aim than ever before. 

“What is my purpose” you might ask?

My mission, my focus, my aim in life is to offer hope, encouragement and inspiration one word at a time.  I am doing this in my writing, speaking and the living of my life. 

Often when spending time on Facebook I will catch a peek at something one of my friends is in pursuit of and dash off a note of encouragement to them in as they follow their dreams. 

That is what I do best – I encourage people.

With every person I meet, I picture them wearing an invisible sign around their neck that says “MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT.”  


How can I assist you in defining your true purpose?  What questions can I pose that will prompt your thinking along these lines.  After all, these are the very thoughts that unstoppable people use.


Are you unstoppable? 


Here are a few thought questions to guide us in this pursuit of defining our purposes.

-What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
-Without regard to income, what would you do to make a difference somewhere in this world?
-Do people energize you, or do you recharge your batteries in solitude?
-Do you like research or do you like telling the world after the research is finished?
-Would you rather write music or perform it?

Cynthia says “anyone … can achieve their goals and overcome any obstacle, if only they will commit themselves to doing so.”

So, define your mission, and stick to it. 


“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!  
Live the life you’ve imagined.”  
Henry David Thoreau

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