Now that you have written down your purpose, you are on your way to
achieving the success you desire and deserve. Pat yourself on the back for
accomplishing this. Do this now! Go on, you deserve it.
If you have not finished your purpose or if you skipped this exercise,
go back and do it now. It is vitally important that you complete the
methods in the order we have written them. Go ahead and design your
life the way you choose, instead of what others may prefer. Do this
method now!
Some participants in our Training sessions take as little as 45 minutes
to define their purpose in life using the method described here. Some peo-
ple take longer, and others a lot longer. It’s worth doing, no matter how
long it may take. Discovering and declaring your purpose is the most sig-
nificant thing you can do. It’s all too easy to allow yourself to be distracted
by the trivia of day-to-day living and to avoid examining the most impor-
tant issues. For some people, finding out how little harmony there is be-
tween their external life and their internally generated purpose comes as a
big shock. Often these are the people who experience a midlife crisis
when, in their 30s or 40s, they realize how hard they are working for so
little satisfaction.
Clarity about purpose starts you toward significant improvements in
your life. It will help you to:
- Increase your inner direction and self-reliance.
- Make decision making quicker and more effective.
- Make your financial life simpler and more focused.
- Stop worrying about the small stuff and realize you are a loving per-
son with important business to conduct. - Put uncomfortable feelings in their proper perspective, reducing fear
of failure, fear of success, and others. - Make everything you do a priority. If you add some skillful time man-
agement to your purpose, you can stop wasting time on activities
that do not matter.
Remember that a purpose is different from a goal. A purpose is ex-
pressed; a goal is accomplished. A purpose is timeless, whereas a goal
has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The goals that will be the most sat-
isfying for you are those that are direct expressions of your purpose.
When you are satisfied with the declaration of purpose you have cre-
ated, write it on a small card and carry it with you in your purse or wallet.
Refer to it whenever you have a decision to make. Also, read it every
chance you get to reinforce what you intend to do. The more you read
your life’s purpose, the more you will know exactly what to do to move
yourself forward. The decisions you face will become easier and easier as
your purpose becomes more a part of you.
Why Bother to Declare Your Purpose? 99