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Take the On Purpose Quiz & Win 2 Valuable Gifts
At the end of this 3-part video series you can win 2 valuable gifts by answering 3 simple questions. The answers can be found by watching the videos. (Hint: Listen for the numbers.)
After viewing the video. here are some questions to ponder:
1. How clear or unclear are you regarding your life purpose? (1= clueless, 3-4 some idea, 5-6 fairly clear but not living it, 7-8 clear and living it most of the time, etc.)
2. How would knowing your life purpose with crystal clarity enhance your life?
3. What has gotten in the way of your knowing your life purpose and living true to it?
We’d love to hear your comments, questions, stories about your own journey along the Purposeful Path.
If you’d like to explore the Life On Purpose Perspective in more depth, download this Special Report: Clarity of Purpose: Don’t Live Life without It.
Let us hear what you think of this first video too. We love questions and comments. We promise to do our best to answer whatever questions you post.
Next, Go to Video 2: The Possibility.
I think my principal obstacle was that the cuestion never even occurred to me, society and religion took charge of making a prefabricated purpose for me since i was born
Thank you! I love the distinction that one’s career is the medium for expressing one’s life purpose. Human *beings* not human *doings*
Quite an interesting insight, Karla. For sure that will keep you from clarifying your purpose if you didn’t know you had one to clarify. Now that you know about life purpose, what does that open up for you?
Yes, Lenie, it’s a powerful perspective for many people including yours truly. I love expressing my own life purpose as a writer, coach, speaker and co-founder of Life On Purpose Institute. Sure makes going to work a whole lot easier ’cause it’s no longer work — it’s purposeful play.
I feel my problem has been focus (not to mention finding what to focus on). I have many interests. I love to make people laugh, really like the beach and vacation with the family, do enjoy making money in business and working for myself part time but still work in corporate, lifeless setting. I start side projects but then lose interest. Definitely confused and Lost feeling lately.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for the comment. You aren’t the only one finding themselves feeling confused and lost lately. I’d say it’s at epidemic proportions especially in our Western Society. One way to look at it is what I sometime refer to as the ‘cart before the horse’ syndrome. If you’ll read back over your post I think you’ll see that pretty much everything you mentioned enjoying is all in the realm of ‘doing.’ Okay, that’s cool. Now look beyond that — look to who you’re being in those moment of doing. What is the experience that you enjoy? That will begin to tap into a point that’s much closer to your life purpose — at least from the Life On Purpose Perspective. This is elaborated on in much more depth in the downloadable report — Clarity of Purpose: Don’t Live Life without It, so I hope you’ll download it and read it.
I’d enjoy hearing what you glean from this video series and the reports.
I’ve felt for a long time that my purpose has more to do with the internal (i.e. how I feel) than with the external (i.e. my accomplishments). I think that led me to disregard everything external and say “It makes no difference if I do anything at all, my purpose is just to be happy.” As a result I’ve kind of turned my back on being successful in the traditional sense (I have an engineering degree I’ve never used). Lately I’ve been thinking maybe they aren’t mutually exclusive – maybe I can “be” my life purpose and still “do” a conventional job. Maybe being an engineer is not synonymous with giving up on having a fulfilling life?
I like the term “divine discontent”. For years I’ve felt like I’m missing out on something, that this is not the life I’m supposed to be living – that if I died today my life would have been a waste.
I’m at a point where I am trying to decide if I want to start working as an engineer or do something more “noble”. Do you think that getting a job that I don’t really care about would be a major obstacle to becoming the person I want to “be”?
Great points you make, Bob. One of the joys of living a life on purpose is the dance between being true to your purpose and expressing it in all the myriad different things you do. And that brings up what I consider one of the common ‘purposeful paradoxes’ of living on purpose. On the one hand virtually ANYTHING you do can be ‘poured’ into the context of your Divinely Inspired Life Purpose and your experience of that will be enhanced (yes, including engineering.). On the other hand, there does appear to be certain activities that are more ‘in the beam’ of your true purpose, so expressing your purpose in those ways will often be easier and will flow. For example, I would say for me, some of the in the beam activities include writing, coaching and speaker…especially on the topic of purpose.
So, to respond to your question more specifically: “Do you think that getting a job that I don’t really care about would be a major obstacle to becoming the person I want to “be”?”
It really depends on whether you take the job with your Inherited Purpose (ie from fear, lack or a need to struggle) or whether you choose to express your true purpose (ie Universal love, abundance and flow) in the job you take. And yes, it can change from day to day if you aren’t vigilant and mindful to be sure what’s shaping you as you go about doing the work.
Oh, and while I’m on a role, who says being an engineer can’t be noble. One of the noblest men I know was Buckminster Fuller. While he may not have had an engineering degree (I just don’t recall) much of his work was certainly in engineering and design work. The world needs “Engineers On Purpose” so why not design a life on purpose that allows you to express your true nature as an engineer?
what if you’ve been in zombie mode (inherited role life) so long that you can’t even remember where your passion lies anymore/who you are? still possible to draw it out?
Thank you Brad
1. How clear or unclear are you regarding your life purpose? (1= clueless, 3-4 some idea, 5-6 fairly clear but not living it, 7-8 clear and living it most of the time, etc.)
I have a few ideas, things I would like to do, but I can’t get myself to do them. I’m still not convinced about any of them. At the same time I have a problem picking one and just starting, to find out along the way if it is the right one for me.
So I’d say… around a 4.
2. How would knowing your life purpose with crystal clarity enhance your life?
It would give me so much energy! I’d really have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. I would always know what to do, instead of hopping from one joyful moment to the next with big gaps of feeling lost and directionless in between. Having a sense of direction would really get me going! Which would make me feel happy, fulfilled, whole.
3. What has gotten in the way of your knowing your life purpose and living true to it?
Society I guess. You’re supposed to have a general sense of what you want to do at the age of 15 to 18, make choices towards a certain career path. Well, I never really knew what I wanted to do, but figuring out computers came naturally to me so I went the ICT way. However, after a lot of soul work on myself I became a totally different person and wanted to work with people rather than computers. I also became aware of a lot of things I wasn’t conscious of before. Basically, I felt depressed living in a society based on greed, where people and corporations just use other people and mother earth for their own benefit. I couldn’t find my place in a world like this…
Hi Jo’el – Thanks for responding to the questions so thoroughly. You have described what life can be like when you know your purpose and you allow it to shape your life each day. Even when you’re not quite sure what’s the best next step to take, you have the freedom to experiment and try different things ’cause your life purpose isn’t tied up in the doing, it’s more in the being, so there’s more freedom to be.
As for feeling depressed living in a society based on greed, etc. yes, it can be depressing if you let it, but it doesn’t have to be. While it can be challenging to stay on purpose in such a society, it is possible, and well worth the challenge. So, way to go. On to the next video to learn how you might move forward on the purposeful path.
Hi Peter — ‘zombie mode’ — good description. And here’s the good news. YES, it is possible to draw it out. Sure it might take a bit more effort — maybe even a lot more effort, but who cares? It’s better than spending your life as a zombie, isn’t it. You may need more support to start with, just like I need a LOT of support in the early going after I almost took my own life, and then over time as I became stronger and more on purpose, I needed less. At some point it shifted from needing the support so I wouldn’t back slide to wanting the support so I could keep the momentum. Of course, that’s to each their own.
One of the main reasons the Inherited Purpose part of the Process is before the clarifying your true purpose part is so you can get at least some freedom from the ol’ IP. Then there are all the Tools for Living On Purpose that are then available for staying the course.
Hi – I am currently reading your book and really enjoying it. The video is great. I am in “constant search mode” (as I discovered in the book last night!) and am trying to get out of that mode. I think your style speaks to me. I hope to pursue more with maybe the virtual coaching at some point.
Thank you!
Susan
Great, Susan. Glad to hear the LOP Process and Perspective resonates with you. I’ve tried to offer a number of ways people can experience the Life On Purpose Process — the book, the Virtual Video Coach, working and playing with a Life On Purpose Coach, and teleclass series (coming this Fall). I’ve found that different people have different ‘learning styles’ as well as different levels of support they need to really ‘get it’ integrated into their daily lives. Enjoy the continuation of the journey.
Brad — I forgot to say, thanks for your reply; those are some powerful words!
Hi,
I feel that a purpose will fit all of the following criteria:
We find great joy doing what we had been called to do.
We will improve life and humanity.
We will also not violate the rights of other life around us.
We can do our purposefully activities for free.
We will galvanize ourselves to seek constant improvements.
We can do it forever without tiring.
1. How clear or unclear are you regarding your life purpose? (1= clueless, 3-4 some idea, 5-6 fairly clear but not living it, 7-8 clear and living it most of the time, etc.)
I’m definetly not clueless and I have more than some idea about my purpose. For a long time I thougt that my life purpose is to play the piano as good as I can. But recently I realized that it was just a tool for getting out of small town, getting away from family which hasn’t got any respect for classical music and personal growth. Now I have all I was dreaming before. But I’m tired of doing the same for last 12 years of my nineteen year long life. I feel empty, but I’m afraid to lose/change my career. So, maybe the same things are driving me today, just it’s not enough anymore to just play the piano all the time. But I still want to reach more loving and intelligent people. I still want to find better opportunities or ways for sharing love, knowledge and love for music/culture. I rate my self with 5.5.
2.How would knowing your life purpose with crystal clarity enhance your life?
I would be full of energy. I would know where I want to go, what I want to, why to step out of my bed in mornings. I would be less dependent on other peoples opinions. I would feel more confident about who I am. It would affect my everyday decisions. It would help a lot in finding true fulfilment in life.
3. What has gotten in the way of your knowing your life purpose and living true to it?
a)I was too afraid facing my real self, because I feel like my ideas are too huge, crazy, naive or just stupid. I didn’t realize that it is OK to think global, that it is not just a weird hippie thing.
b)I didn’t have the courage to spend enough time to work on it. I’m allways running from one question to another, not seriously working on any of them… My weakness. Giving my power to others and letting the life just flow. I just need to focus on this for a couple of days. It’s just really not THAT hard.
c)Being dependent on my families views. Still limiting myself and not accepting, that I’m not them.
I hope that my grammar is not too funny to understand.
:)
Thank you for sharing you knowledge and helping us all!
Wow! I was so surprised, when after submitting my comment I read Jo’el’s comment. And we have exactly the same answers to the second question. That’s a great feeling! Shows how similar people are deep inside and how useful it is to share our experiences.
Thanks, Maira, for responding so thoroughly to the questions. I do hope you’ve found the video series thought evoking and useful. I’ll be in touch via email with an idea I’d like to explore with you.
1. How clear or unclear are you regarding your life purpose? (1= clueless, 3-4 some idea, 5-6 fairly clear but not living it, 7-8 clear and living it most of the time, etc.)
Including developing my life purpose in the new year resolution, I have spent the winter break (I am still college student) and come to a sentence “grow constantly and consciously, live true to my self, and drive the world into a better place to live for all human beings”. However this sentence seems too vague and broad to really inspire my everyday life, which leads me to doubt whether that is the real call from my heart. So I would say 5.
2. How would knowing your life purpose with crystal clarity enhance your life?
Very specifically…
a. I am graduating in this May and will find the first job in my life. I would rather be equipped with a life purpose to enjoy working;
b. Is it important to have similar life purposes with the other half in our lives?
c. I can enjoy every moment in life and not be regretful at the end of the day.
3. What has gotten in the way of your knowing your life purpose and living true to it?
a. (for both) I never had thoughts about my life purpose until one month ago, not sure about whether the one I mentioned in the first question really is the one. Being born and raised in Asia, no one has ever taught us to think about these questions. But I am glad I began to think about it on my own.
b. (for the latter) Pressure from my family. My parents almost planned everything from which major I should choose in college to where I should work after graduation (yes, my father has even found me a job back home in the absent of my opinion). I feel powerless or not courageous enough to follow my heart know that my own decision might hurt their feelings.
I really hope to have a crystal clear life purpose and live true to it now and I hope my English is not so weird to understand.
Thank you for your patience and helping people to fulfill their lives.
Tina Hao
Good job Tina. I hope you continue your journey along the Purposeful Path — final destination — your life on purpose.
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“Zombie Mode” is an apt description. I have absolutely no happiness in my life. No real purpose in my life. I have no motivation to do anything. Why? I look back on my life and what have I really accomplished? Survival? I look around me and what do I really have? Things? Even today, my desperation to find purpose in my life I am reaching out via a computer, to people that I do not know, that yes they have similar problems, but not specific answers for me. Yes I am not alone in my problems, but I am very alone in my life. All of my actions have been self serving and or misguided hence I find myself alone in my life. This loneliness is not a feeling; it is fact.
“Zombie Mode” is where a fair number of people are when they find there way to Life On Purpose. I do hope, Doug, that you continue through the whole video series, checking to see if the content both makes sense to you as well as resonates with you at some level. If so, go next to the Life On Purpose Resource Center. You can gain access to that by signing up for it on any of the main web site pages. Check out what’s there. I’m hoping you will find that the Life On Purpose Process resonates. If it looks like something that could help move you from the Zombie Mode, then there are a number of ways to go through the process…either on your own (check out the Virtual Video Coach) and/or with assistance from a Life On Purpose Coach. Just know, you don’t need to stay alone or traveling life’s path alone…unless you choose to do so.
BRAD