Transcript

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” Winston Churchill

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19:21

We all know that a life lived without a sense of purpose can be uninspiring and demotivating. We also know that when we live out our unique purpose, these outcomes change and so do we. Years of study in the fields of psychology and biology have found that when a person has a sense of purpose their psychological and biological health improves. This is evidence that a life lived with purpose and on purpose can have remarkable benefits. But these aren't the only benefits. For example, many people discover that in the pursuit of their purpose that they end up reaching beyond themselves which leads to an adventure of higher purpose, mission, and vision. Also, people who are followers of Christ pursue one that's consistent with God's unique design in them. Thus, when you combine God's designed purpose with the pursuit of our unique purpose, we find convergence and eternal impact.

Consider this: When you live a life of and on purpose wholly aligned with God and his purposes; as a result, you'll leave behind a legacy that has the power to inspire purpose in others.

Five essentials of living with purpose

One | Know Your Purpose

God has given to you unique experiences, convictions, passions, contributions, and skills. One thing you should do to know your purpose is to get to know yourself - this is more self-discovery than the worship of self. Often your purpose is found within God's unique design of you; he did create you after all. So maybe it's time to reflect on how contributions you have already made in life, especially those moments that have brought you the most joy and fulfillment. Most people never stop to reflect on this. Knowing God and knowing self is the beginning of knowing your purpose. For instance, I have a friend who for decades has mentored at-risk children. He spends a considerable amount of time challenging and helping children to move toward a life of purpose and realize their true potential. He's been doing this for years and loves investing his time in young people who are a loss for direction in the urban core, primarily because he was one too. He merely took his experiences, convictions, passion, contributions, and skills and is using them to impact others. And he's one person living with purpose and on purpose, and of course subsequently dispensing purpose to others.

Two | Model Your Purpose

Not only should you know your purpose, but you need to model it. For by modeling it, you are forced to practice it consistently, and therefore it weaves into the fabric of your everyday life. As a result, others will see what you're doing and ask questions particularly the why question and you will discover they will often ask you, "Why do you do what you do?" People who daily live in and on purpose get asked this one question more than any other, and when they do, they have the opportunity to tell them why. This interchange is purposefully motivating in and of itself. This is because when you share the story, you then by nature challenge others to find and live out their purpose or maybe even persuade them to join us in yours.

Modeling your purpose challenges others to discover and live out theirs.

Three | Share Your Purpose

When sharing your purpose, you're not recounting your success, but rather the story of triumph through others. Stories of purpose in action in successful ways capture a vision of a better future. When it's working let's be honest, it's exciting, and you'll usually have a great story as well. So share it with others. Often there's one story that captures your purpose more than any other, so tell it frequently and don't let up. And get better at telling it. For those that know me, I often tell the story of how my grandfather made a huge difference in my life as a mentor. Over the years I have become masterful at telling this story. And as you tell it, others will catch a vision for what motivates you, and many will be inspired to find and pursue their purpose. Either way, you'll have a win.

Four | Refine Your Purpose

One of the challenges of living out your purpose will be figuring out a strategy for advancing it. This is where many give up often because they'll by nature face obstacles, and sometimes they are numerous. But don't quit, success might be right around the next bend. Be persistent. Every great purpose is going to have obstacles, challenges, and issues to overcome along the way. But when a purpose is less about you and about something greater it motivates you to make necessary sacrifices. Sometimes you will be confronted with sacrifices that require you to relinquish time, finances, or even our pride. While these are humbling moments, they're only obstacles that need refinement along the way. A purpose-driven person will take any action to overcome them to achieve the result - and this isn't motivated by selfishness but selflessness. The goal is to make the most substantial difference at the cost of unreasonable faith to ensure that others join the cause.

Five | Enable Your Purpose

Enlisting others who share a common purpose helps them to realize they too can make a difference and may help them find a unique expression of purpose similar to yours. You should often enlist others to come alongside you, not just to advance your purpose but help them to find their own. I have mentored hundreds of men who have gone on to mentor others in their unique way. In doing this, I am giving others a vision for what they can contribute in their way, without me. And when you do this, you advance a purpose beyond self.

Reflection & Mentorship

Begin

• We are on an adventure of discovering the convergence of our unique purpose with God's

Unpack

• What percentage of the people you meet on a daily basis are living out their lives in a purposeful way? What evidence can you cite for your position?
• Do you feel purpose in your work on a regular basis? Why or why not?
• What factor would make work and life more purposeful for you?

Inform

• Winston Churchill left a significant mark on the world in his His quote above is one of his great maxims. What is another way to say what Churchill said in your own words?
• The Proverb above has a fundamental principle embedded in What principle does it teach the Christ follower about purpose?
• Of the five essentials above, which grabbed your attention? Share why and be

Land

• Do you feel like you are still looking for your purpose or more of it? In what way specifically?
• What can you do today to uncover your unique purpose?
• What steps do you need to commit to taking to uncover this?

Do

• Take one of the five essentials above and do it.