When you come to this planet with a specific purpose or calling, it is important to:
- Determine your purpose, calling and/or message
In my working with individuals, most of them feel a strong disconnect with their higher purpose, calling and/or message to share with the community at large. When you arrive on planet earth, you are keenly aware of your special attributes/purpose, but by the time you’ve reached the age of seven, you’ve been re-programmed to make you a more logical person, less likely to embrace the thought of fanciful ideals. You are taught to believe that to be a more productive participant in our society you must dumb yourself down (though we refer to it as smartening up) and accept that your school grades and playing well with others will secure you a good enough job to get by.
There are many methods that I use to help someone re-discover their purpose. In my practice, the most effective is thinking back to your earliest recollection of what someone wanted to do or be, then weighing that against what types of people and circumstances have been attracted to you throughout your life. In many cases, the results of this collection of data will help you remember your mission.
- Define by reducing to qualifying statements
Create a list of statements that help you to define your purpose, mission and/or message in this life. This can be as long a list as you like. I have a long list and a short list of statements that qualify who I am, like:
- I have a desire to help make the world a better place
- I help others achieve their highest and best
- I work with people who are upwardly mobile (on the upswing)
- I work with people who take responsibility and action
- I allow others to compensate me for my efforts
- Love is the most important thing
This short list of six items (it’s actually five items with a Love trump card) helps me to quickly pre-qualify the people that I work with.
Everyone’s calling and short-list is different. You have to determine what works best for you. Once you have your list, it will help you…
- Determine your audience
Who are the people whom you were sent here to interface with the most? You are only one person, you are limited to time and space, so defining your audience will help you keep on-track.
This could also be your target market. Your life’s data collection will help you determine who to keep an eye out for so that you can quickly identify them. I start with reducing my clientele into a single individual representation of the group.
What’s he look like? How old is he? What does he like to do in his free-time? What is his relationship status? Etc… Then I give him a name, like Tom. Though Tom can take many forms, knowing who he is will help me quickly identify him, maximizing my time and space.
- Commit to, “specialize on purpose”
Specializing on purpose refers to staying true to your cause. Frances Hesselbein tells Jerry Porras, there is “a powerful synergy when you combine service to others with passion for your own mission, your own work.”
Society has tried to keep you from exercising your gifts, abilities and delivering your message. Now that you are back on track for the greater good, other forces may try to dissuade you from staying in resonance with your truer self or accomplishing your mission.
Using your list can help you to laser-focus on your mission and the people that you were meant to serve, helping you to
a. Eliminate distractions
Inevitably you will be interrupted by people, circumstances, projects and ideas that will break your concentration and commitment to achieve your highest and best in the most efficient manner.
b. Increase effectiveness
Maximize your efforts by being able to quickly determine, “This is a distraction,” or, “This is not my ministry,” (my favorite). Which allows me to be able to defer the distraction to someone whose life’s calling is to specialize in that area of expertise.
Just some ideas in the event that you feel compelled to achieve your highest and best and dare to do so.
-Love, love, love