[Purpose] Doesn’t Just Fall in your Lap
6 Key Takeaways for More Purpose
“You’ll figure it out”, they say.
But are they right?
Or is that a recipe for a mid-life crisis?
Purpose takes work.
Not the ‘roll your sleeves up and get dirty” kinda work you’re thinking of.
More like work on yourself, or introspection as I like to call it.
We all know you’re willing to work hard. You do it every day, but you still have a longing for something more.
Something within you tells you you can do more to make a difference and you’re committed to making sure that voice isn’t wrong.
Misalignment
First off, just so you know, most people feel the same way you do. They’ll pretend they have it all figured out, but they don’t. So don’t feel like you’re behind.
The reason you feel this way is because you’re misaligned.
Your actions don’t align with your core; your inner purpose.
This is normal, unfortunately. Society does a great job of convincing us of “what’s important” but 99.9% of the time that doesn’t align with your inner purpose.
You spend most of your time
- Partying
- Working a job you dislike (but pays the bills)
- Binge-watching your favorite shows
- Constantly judging yourself (& others) while you scroll social media
And yet, the voice inside you tells you that you can (and should) achieve more.
I’m not saying that these things are inherently bad. They’re not. But most of the time you use them as fillers to avoid facing the real challenge.
Comparison is the Theif of Joy
Hikers on the Appalachian trail have a saying that says “Hike your own hike”.
When you set out to accomplish a hike, does it matter how many miles someone else has put in?
No, what really matters is that you put in the necessary miles in order to accomplish your hike. Spending too much time worrying about another’s hike will distract you from your own; it doesn’t serve you.
Even worse, most of the time you spend comparing, you’re comparing yourself to the 1%. This can be daunting because it seems to be something that is impossible to reach.
It’s important to understand, as Rocky Balboa famously said, that “every champion was once a contender”. Use this to your advantage.
No matter where you are, what overwhelm or anxiety you have experienced, you are in a perfect position to pursue your path to purpose.
When is the Last Time You Spent Time With Yourself?
The answer to fixing your misalignment is knowing yourself better.
Know yourself.
When is the last time you spent time with yourself? Just you and your thoughts.
- A walk without headphones
- Journaling
- Meditating
- Reading
Or, the most difficult one…
- In silence
The best way to know yourself is to spend time with yourself.
Unoccupied and unplugged from the world.
Not allowing the millions of thoughts (that aren’t yours) penetrate your mind by simply opening up your phone.
The thing you should know is this; if you are feeling like life has more in store for you but you’re not exactly sure how to unleash it, spend time with yourself. That is your quickest way to discovering purpose.
The Challenge
So here’s what you’re going to do.
From now on, you’re not going to get on your phone first thing in the morning.
This is the most practical place to begin.
The morning is the best time to be one with your thoughts yet you destroy it once you allow others’ to infiltrate your mind and your thoughts.
This time is precious, treat it as such. You need it. Your best-self needs it.
I’m not going to tell you what exactly to do with your time in the morning, all I’m saying is make it a goal to leave your phone face down, at least for the first hour (even longer if you’re feeling frisky).
This might seem silly, but the more distracted you are, the less capable of discovering yourself, and the more worried you are about what others do and think. This never leads to purpose, but rather, overwhelm and anxiety.
6 Key Takeaways
- Purpose takes introspective work
- Align your actions with your inner purpose
- “Hike your own hike”
- No matter where you are, you are in the perfect position to discover your purpose.
- Know yourself better by spending time with yourself.
- Avoid your phone in the morning.
Until next time,
Dallen
