Have You Ever Sensed You're Supposed to Be Doing Something Bigger with Your Life?
by Maxine Jones
While we focus on the daily tasks of living, we sometimes catch a glimpse of the bigger picture. We feel a sense of hope about the possibility and power inside us to do something important with our lives. At that moment, the way we see ourselves changes. The impact can be overwhelming, profound and unforgettable. And then we snap back to reality and leave the possibilities unexplored.
How would you like to live your sense of purpose? First, let's see where you stand on the subject. Here's a quiz:
How Do I Feel About Purpose?
- Have I ever sensed I have a purpose?
- If so, when did it first come to my attention and how did it happen (in a dream, when I was reading or watching a movie, during a conversation)?
- Do I have any idea what my purpose involves?
- How do I think people find their purpose, and what are they supposed to do about it?
- What have I done to fulfill my purpose, and what have I discovered or achieved along the way?
- Do I talk about my purpose with others? If so, how do they respond?
- Who do I know who has found purpose?
- Do I think there's a formula for finding purpose?
- What are the biggest obstacles in the search for purpose? Have I been able to resolve them?
- Is my purpose connected with my age?
- Is my purpose predetermined, or can I choose it?
- Do I have just one purpose, or is it possible to have more?
If these questions resonate with you, it might be time for you to explore your purpose. Here are some critical signs the seed of purpose inside you is ready to explode:
- You feel empty, unfulfilled, frustrated, urgent, uncomfortable, unclear.
- Mundane tasks eat up your time.
- You wonder whether you're supposed to be doing something else, but you're afraid to say that out loud.
- You ask yourself, "Am I the only one who doesn't get it?" or "Am I crazy?"
- You sense you don't fit in the mold.
- You feel like you have a secret you're hesitant to share.
- Questions like "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" haunt you, and you're not sure why.
- You have the trappings of success but not the satisfaction.
It's not enough to spend your life on personal survival instead of seeking awareness of the bigger picture. Doing so is a tragic under-use of your life. It borders on being irresponsible.
Finding purpose used to be a life quest we contemplated if and when we had the luxury of time and energy. Today, it has become a drive, a race, a question that haunts us, causing to us to wake up and challenge ourselves to take action. It demands that we be more, messing with our hearts and minds, disturbing our peace, interfering with our pleasure. It keeps us from settling into the bliss of contentment and safety of the mundane.
The inner drive for purpose is unique to each of us. It's part of what makes us human. Its expression makes it individual, and there's room for every human seed of purpose to be fully expressed.
Mother Theresa once said, "Life is a purpose. Fulfill it." So now it's your move.
If you are interested in joining into the conversation of hundreds of others who have explored these same questions get a copy of my book Desperately Seeking Purpose in paperback or download it right now as an ebook. Click here to buy it now or find out more...
Maxine
