Live my purpose? I'm not sure I can even find my purpose. Exactly how do I do this?
Let's get something straight. Your purpose could be: Owning a wine shop, cutting hair, teaching third graders, being a parent, winning the gold, singing in a choir, making art, being a leader, building hospitals, making sure there's clean drinking water for everyone on the planet, writing poetry, signing with gorillas, creating the perfect chocolate mousse...
Follow your truth. That is the plan. Your only plan.
Here's how:
Cut off the noise around you. The noise that tells you to do it a different way. The "normal" way. The way everyone else does it.
Shut out the crowd that's yelling "You will never be that. You will never have that." You'll have to work overtime on this one, my friend. You've been prisoner to a lot of god awful negative programming (okay lies) since you were 2.
Ditch the word "defeat." From this day forward, you are no longer giving defeat a seat at the table.
Keep thinking out of the box. Even when you stand alone with your thoughts. With your truth. Even when the world around you is trying its hardest to make you feel like a damn fool, hopeless, vulnerable, and out of your mind.
Feel the urgency. Don't let laziness be your guide. Get up every day and live your purpose. As if your life and livelihood depended on it. Do whatever it takes to get it moving. To get you moving. Don't be complacent. Don't sit on the couch and wishful-think your new life. Figure out what you need to do day-by-day and get 'er done. If it feels overwhelming, chunk it down to baby steps. What tiny, easy next thing can you do? Do it. Keep the momentum going.
Push through a million "No" answers. Call on some heroes for inspiration. Like these folks: Michael Jordon, who was cut from his HS basketball team because he had no talent. Steven Spielberg, who was turned down multiple times from film school. Walt Disney, who was fired by an editor because he had "no imagination and had no good ideas." J.K. Rowling, who's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was rejected 12 times before it was published. And, Harrison Ford, who was told he would never make it in the business.
You get the idea. These weren't special people when they started out. They are not an anointed few. They are you and me.
Know you have something to say. Something to do. And it's cool stuff. It's what brings pure joy into your soul. And pure joy is what you're going for.
Let me repeat that. Your purpose brings you pure joy. It fills your soul.
The mainstream won't like this at all, so you'll have to hang tough. Channel the rebellious teen inside you. Sometimes it will feel like you're the only one in the world with your whacky idea (until it becomes a huge hit and you have trillions of worshippers).
Doubts will blow in like a hurricane. When that happens, get the hell in your storm shelter. Put some loud tunes on till it blows over. When you emerge, that blazing sun will give you a huge hug and show you a new day. Your day. And having come through your very own "doubt storm," unshaken, you will feel even more triumphant.
Someone will hear your words. Someone will see your gifts. You will reach many people and change their lives. All because you followed your truth, and are living your purpose.
What's this got to do with success? You're kidding, right? This is it. The Holy Grail. The Brass Ring. The Summit. The Mother Lode. This is what your'e doing here. Living your purpose is the ultimate success.
