Your Purpose

Good Morning!

I had a "soul scouring" discussion with a very good friend this week...

When it was over and as I reflected on it...I wished that everyone would have been privy to the exchange!

It was absolutely awesome...but having been between just two people...it seemed like a waste!

Then it hit me!

That may have been the purpose of the discussion...not between the two of us...but setting the stage for the weekend update!

In fact...this may be my purpose!

To record and communicate life changing discussions!

Or am I deceiving myself...I questioned my purpose in life and the activities that I pursue to achieve authentic happiness and fulfillment!

Have you ever questioned your purpose...do you know with 100% certainty that what you are doing is correct?

Can you write out your purpose with complete clarity?

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The Starting point...

At some point in nearly everyone's life...they ponder their purpose...

"Purpose" itself is an obscure concept...

They ask questions like...

Why am I here?

What am I really meant to do?

Why?

What is the plan for me?

How do I fit into a "BIGGER PICTURE?"

and on and on!

"Purpose" is an elusive animal and many people have made millions of dollars on helping other pursue and clarify their purpose...

Yet "Purpose" is a simple concept when it is looked at in its proper perspective...

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Perhaps you have no real purpose...

As we talked...we concluded that an individual's "Purpose is not unlike a piece of a machine or a component in a computer...

Like a machine "cog" or a computer component...the "bigger thing" can not function without us...

"Purpose" is our essential contribution to "the whole"

We all want to believe that we have a meaningful function and a purpose...otherwise we are simply "filler" and everything that we do has absolutely no meaning or value!

What if we have no purpose?

Perhaps we are so messed up that we are no longer in a position to contribute to the whole...

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No Purpose?

That is a sobering thought!

I believe that we all have a purpose...

The problem is that we often aspire for "purposes" or contributions and recognition significantly higher than what we are meant to pursue!

That is why we have so many unfulfilled and dissatisfied people!

These individuals are chasing more than they should...as a result they will never find their purpose...because they are rejecting their real purpose!

The catalyst of the question of our purpose often arises when we seek a higher purpose than we should be seeking...and we find ourselves falling short...

Some times it comes when we see ourselves consistently falling short of our expectations (wants)...

The first secret to success is a 100% commitment to being satisfied with what you find your purpose is!

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Cutting to the chase...

Let's look at our purpose...

In a general sense...we find our purpose by looking at life's situations...actually what we are handed...

Life is "growth through a series of struggles and successes..."

That is my own definition...which is actually based what life isn't...

What?  Life is the opposite of death...

Death is succumbing to the struggles and failing!

Life therefore is about success...otherwise it is death!

Our purpose (life) is challenged through our struggles and suffering...

...and our purpose can be found within life's challenges...its struggles and it sufferings...

Struggles and Suffering builds (within us) perseverance...

The ability to persevere consistently and ultimately leads to...

HOPE!

Without exception...our purpose is HOPE!

We are to HOPE...and we are to share HOPE...we are to be a refuge of HOPE...

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Let's look at HOPE...

Hope can simply be explained as the level of certainty of something (an outcome) coming to pass...

If an individual possessed 100% hope...they believe that a specific outcome will occur as anticipated with absolutely no doubt...

Doubt?

Doubt is the antithesis of hope!  DUH!

DOUBT is the level of uncertainty that an individual has related to an outcome...

At this point we need to recognize that Purpose is a balanced equation...containing the elements of HOPE and Doubt!

Purpose = Hope + Doubt   (Where Doubt is usually a negative number)

Here is an example...

I hope that I win the lottery...

I buy a single ticket...in reality the probability (odds) of this outcome coming to fruition is beyond 1:200,00,000!

On the other side of this equation is DOUBT...I am almost absolutely certain that the ticket that I bought will not be a winner...

In a very interesting fashion...My Doubt is my "more probable" Hope!

Have you observed that we are either living in a world of HOPE or DOUBT?

...and that hope and doubt are really the same thing?

Hope is the level of certainty of a positive outcome...and,,,

Doubt is the level of certainty of a negative outcome!

There is no vacuum in this place in our existence!

We are either Hopefuls or Doubters...and in either case...it is still hope...

Hope for the best...or...hope for the worse...

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Nice Theory...

In a general sense...this is a "word play"

I did this to make a point...

HOPE is the dead-end!

One can go no further...no deeper...

It ends at hope...

We hope in the best

or

We hope in the worse (Doubt)

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In Pursuit of your specific Purpose...

Let's use Maslow...

Abraham Maslow made a brilliant observation when he was able to segment the human condition into 5 different categories.  Subsequent research has broken it into 8 levels...

Whatever hierarchy you choose to use...this works...

We have a tendency to look at his hierarchy and the levels...and believe that some levels are preferred over others...

The fact of the matter is...whatever level you find yourself at is OK!

We delude ourselves into believing that there is a preference...many wrongly believe that they should be pursuing "self-actualization"

Let's look at a level...

When a person is 100% confident of the "needs" of the level that they are at...they are free to move to another level...

An interesting observation is that some levels are not important to individuals...and should not be sought!

It is not a requirement to achieve Levels 1-4 to pursue level 5!

Let's look at a level 4 chasing individual (using the 5 level system)...

Level (L-4) is called "self-esteem and personal development"...(it looks like a student)

In order to be fully engaged at this level..one must be fully hopeful (confident) of the achievement of the following levels...

L-1 (physiological needs)  Air, Water, Food

Think about this...if you are 100% confident that your basic needs (breathing, drinking and eating) will be met in order to be fully engaged in hierarchy 2...

L-2 Safety, Shelter, absence of fear of physical harm, etc.

If can eat and breath...yet are not confident where you are going to sleep safely every night...you can not fully experience this or other levels...however if you are assured a safe abode...you are free to move to L-3...

L-3 Belonging

If you aspire for family and have a need for belonging...it is critical to be 100% confident of your relationships otherwise...doubt will detract you from fully realizing any other level.  Once an individual is 100% confident in this level...L-4 is possible...but it important to realize that some people do not need this level!

In other words...only after the all of the needs of all of the levels are fulfilled and the individual is 100% confident at those levels can they become a real student!  (L-4)

Maslow also recognized the difference between "needs" and "wants"

Needs are the essential elements (components within each definition of hope) of each Level (L1-L5)

If you are at a L-1 then your definition of HOPE is defined by the needs of that level.  A need is the confidence in the future receipt of AIR, WATER and FOOD.  When you are 100% confident that you will receive these components of hope...(the level's needs) and you can assume that you are on another level.

This holds true for each and every level!  Your personal definition of HOPE...thus your purpose can be simply defined by the "needs" at the level that you are residing in!

YES IT IS THAT SIMPLE!

If you are a L-4 individual...your needs are aligned with obtaining the information relevant to your personal development...Your goal or purpose if to receive that information and learn it!!!

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More on HOPE...

Let's look a bit deeper into HOPE...

Hope is the confidence level of achieving what you are aspiring to...

We are doing this because you will be able to use your "HOPES" to define your purpose!

Hope is what you aspire for...at your level of existence!

Your confidence is your level of purpose...

That which you have achieved + aspire to achieve with 100% confidence is your purpose!

Are you seeing it?

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Everyone has one Purpose with varied definitions!

Let me take you to the bottom-line...although it may not makes sense...

Your ULTIMATE PURPOSE is to be a REAL Beacon of hope in this world...

Making a positive impact in all that you do...with 100% confidence of achievement!

You owe this to yourself and the world around you depending on your level of existence...

Everyone has this PURPOSE...

When people look at you (or look to you) they should have 100% confidence in what you can deliver...

You are known for...what people know that you can deliver!

or...by the what you don't deliver...

You are either a Beacon of Hope...or a Beacon of Doubt!

I know many Beacons of Doubt...who continue to deceive themselves into believing that they are more than they actually are...

Perhaps their purpose is really to be a joke!

These people are jokes!

Don't be a beacon of doubt!

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Don't Stop here!

Doubt will exist in every situation...

Challenge it!

If you have Doubt...QUESTION IT!

Challenge it...

Understanding your Doubt will help clarify your Purpose...

Doubt needs to constantly be challenged...

Not only from a clarification perspective...but

You can not have doubt and be a Beacon of Hope!

You can not be a Beacon of Hope without achievement...

If doubt permeates your existence...it will taint your image...

AND...you become the joke!

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Hope and Quantum Obligation

What we have been discussing may sound a lot like Quantum Obligation...

It is!

We are to be Beacons of Hope...

First to ourselves...

Then to the world around us...

100% Confident of the fact that we will receive what we NEED at our tier in life...

If you are not 100% confident of success at your present state...you may not be in the right one...

Or...

You are deceiving yourself into believing that you NEED to be pursuing something that is not your purpose...

You are obligated to yourself and your dependents to provide 100% confidence in your performance...

You are OBLIGATED to leave every moment better for having participated...

Your purpose is to be that Beacon of Hope...

So what do you HOPE for?

Are you confident that you'll achieve it?

e-NUF-SED

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I'll be writing more on this concept...

You can not be successful without a complete understanding of this concept...

Stay Tuned...

Pura-Vida

A small gift to you...a song that I find inspirational!

The Success Equation Includes Quitting...

Good Morning...

I have been seeing a multitude of quotes across Twitter and Facebook related to establishing goals and relentless pursuing them...

They are VERY inspirational...but go no further than inspiring...

I say this because if they are taken for what they truly contain...the more probable result will not be success and/or happiness...

...but frustration...utter embarrassment and failure!

It suddenly hit me that we need to keenly aware of what we feed our minds and hearts...as motivators...just as we feed our bodies good food!

Let's think about this...by using an example...

Put "jet" or "rocket fuel" in your car and it will run awesome...

...for a few minutes...(if at all) and then it will fail!

In fact...you'll probably blow it up!

Cars are not built to run on "jet" or "rocket fuel"

The same holds true with our minds...

We are not built to run on every inspirational or motivational quip!

For a car or us as a matter of fact...to function at peak performance...the fuel must be matched with the engine...

Our motivational and inspirational phrases must match us!

The wrong fuel will not work at all...or worse...burn us out!

I have watched far too many talented people grab hold of the wrong phrases and "take-off" down the drag-strip of life...only to find that they were not a drag racer...(whoops...I didn't realize I needed a parachute at the end) and crash...or worse yet...burn up at the finish line!

OK...enough of the metaphors!

We have built the mental picture...can you see it?

I read a quote that went something like..."Decide on your goal and relentlessly refuse to quit"  A variation on the old axiom "if you first do not succeed...try try again"

This sounds like good advice...and many people quote variants of this daily...

Many make it their life's axiom...

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Andrew Carnegie was asked prior to his death (it would do no good to ask after his death)...what he believed  a person should strive to do...his response was...

• Spend the first third of ones life learning as much as possible...
• Spend the second third of ones life earning as much money as possible with what you have learned
• Spend the last third giving it away...

Great advice!

Or is it?

It was good for Andrew...but is it good for everyone?

An interesting problem even within this great advice is that quitting is inherent within it!

• When do you quit learning?
• When do you quit earning?
• When do you quit giving?

I guess the answer to the last one is rather simple..."when you die!"

But what about the rest of them?

The simple answer is that you NEVER stop Learning...Earning and then Burning your reserves,,,

But I do not believe this to be the real case...

There comes a time when you have to actually call it quits!

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When do you quit?

That answer is quite simple...

When something starts to stand in the way of success...it must be stopped...

You have to quit!

Using Carnegie's path...

When Learning stands in the way of Earning...it is time to quit learning...

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I am not going to belabor this concept...

We are at our best when we are working in a linear fashion...

Do not deceive yourself into believing that you can multi-task your way to success...

Multi-tasking automatically spreads yourself thin!

Decide what you should be doing...

and do it...

and...

Know when to quit!

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Let's go back to the topic on motivational and inspirational quips that we started with...

DO NOT be taken in be seemingly good advice...without first looking at them for what they really mean to you...

Question all quips and sayings...

Oftentimes real meaning is hidden by the effort to reduce them to a single sentence...

A person should have a single mission (at any given time) when they truly pursue success...

All of the motivational quips should PERFECTLY align with that mission...

Loading up on quips   may create success indigestion!  LOL!

Don't eat too much!

Feed your mind to succeed...

E-Nuf Sed

Have a great weekend!

Pura Vida!

UNITED States?

Good Morning...

Although this may sound like I am going to be ranting on our society or our political system...I am not...

My thoughts this week have been focused on our Quantum Obligation and our individual responsibility to our society...

If you will recall...the Quantum Obligation is the responsibility that we each have to leave EVERY moment (event) better for our having been a participant...

The behavior of our politicians is really a symptom of a larger and more deeply embedded issue...

We should learn some VERY important lessons from their behavior...that will directly affect our personal success and fulfillment/happiness.

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Let's look for this lesson...

Partisan politics has a place within our system...but it should only be allowed to go so far...

This is not unlike our efforts to travel our road to success...

Our elected representatives have a goal or goals...

Just like we do!

The goals should be politics-free...if they are really aligned with "well being" of our country in mind...

Hmmmmm...what can we learn from the prior statement...?

Their politics should only be focused on how (the process) through which the goal is obtained...

Have you had a glimmer yet?

Think of how much different our country would be if each session of congress would adhere to the Quantum Obligation and leave the country better at the close of each session!

Instead...their politics are laced with compromise...deals...lies...lobbying...and so on...

This type of activity ALWAYS leaves them short of the goal!

We should see the sessions united and not arguing about the goals...

We (and they) know what we need!

There should be no arguments on this...

They should simply working on deciding on the process of achieving the goals...

The path that takes us closer to the goal should be choice...free from political compromise and petty arguments...

If unemployment is an issue...and the solution is to get more jobs...then the sessions should be around making the case from each perspective on "how to get more jobs" and the winner of the debate is the side that made the best case....not the one who made the best deals...and not the one who simply "strong-armed" and threatened...

Congress and the President should be UNITED...towards these ends...

UNITED?

Isn't our first name "UNITED?" as in United States?

Shouldn't we be deciding who our elected representatives be based upon their performance and behavior?

Based on their ability to act in the best interest of our first name?

Are they acting in our best interest and UNITED on that front...or are they acting in the best interest of their party?

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The United States was intended to be an exclusive club...

Let's visit the Statue of Liberty and read the Plaque that resides in the inside of the statue

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus, 1883


The UNITED States was and is a refuge...


...for...


...The tired...the poor...the huddled masses who long for freedom...and the homeless...


They all have one thing in common...


HOPE...


They (we) are UNITED in hope...


Not a blind hope...or trust in a hollow promise...


We are a CLUB of Hopeful people who are willing to act on a UNITED front to support each individual to obtain their hopes and aspirations...and be free from the infringement of others upon our own rights and ours on theirs... 


We have lost that vision...


We welcome everyone into our exclusive club...


We have allowed individuals into our midst who do not deserve the right to live in freedom...


It is their behavior and actions that prove their unworthiness...not some unfounded prejudice...


We then feel that it is our responsibility to either put up with the "less desirable" traits...or "foot the bill" to keep them isolated from our society...in prison...


It saddens me to see individuals who are not appreciative of membership in the UNITED States...


It is not just those who have immigrated and taken the oath of citizenship...but those who were born here and feel like they can behave any way they want...THE ENTITLED!


We as individuals should all behave as model citizens...


And the higher call...(an elected representative)...should model...the highest of model behavior!


It is our obligation to hold our elected representatives accountable...and even before that...find representatives that will "act" consistently at the higher calling...


That is what our Founding Fathers had for the UNITED vision...


And they acted as such and believed that those who followed would do the same!


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This Standard is universal...

Too often we compartmentalize standards of behavior...

It is easy to only see our responsibility as a citizen or a politician...AND...

Not see the lesson contained...within...for us as individuals...

We are citizens of this country...and should act responsibly as a citizen...


It is our Quantum Obligation as a citizen to leave EVERY moment better for having been a participant...


This also holds true within our personal lives...

We have specific goals and objectives...

These goals and objectives should be free from "personal politics."

Each goal should be a "win/win" for all involved within "the event."

If an individual "wins" at the expense of another and "the event" is exited with loss...

The real value of the individual's activity needs to be questioned...

Was it really in the best interest of the event...or self-serving...

We have much to learn about "Quantum Obligation" and its role...

Many will not see the lessons...because of the blindness of the "me generation"

These individuals have lost the power of a UNITED effort...

It often takes a catastrophe or an emergency to shake them into reality...

We can wait for that time...or we can learn one of the lessons that "Madam History" wants us to learn...

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REAL Success is only obtained through a UNITED effort...

This is a universal truth...not limited to politics, but also on an individual level...

We can not work as individuals any longer...we need to be UNITED...and hold true to our first name!

What more can I say?

Pura Vida!  

You Can't Sell an Ocean!

Good Morning!

There are weeks during which I put my head down...focus on the critical and vital few...and...

...avoid the temptation to do the things I love...(which are often the things that divert me from the tasks that I have to do)...

Then there are weeks in which the things that I love are the things I have to do...

and without failure...I realize that the things I have to do can become the things I love doing!

...and the things that I have to do, become the things I love doing!

 Which means...that with the right attitude...everything that one does can be what they love doing!

More on this later!

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Focus is a critical element of success...

We live in an information rich world...

There are challenges around every corner...

For those individuals who are passionate about making a difference...

There is no lack of needs to be found in the information flow...

The biggest challenge is finding the mountain to succumb and saying "NO!" to the rest of the hills!

Passion can be a curse...not just for "fixers" but for anyone that wants to impact the world and leave a legend!

Passion is also a blessing...when focused...because there is no stopping their progress towards their end...

Where are you?

Cursed?

Blessed?

or...

Still looking for that fire?

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Life without Direction...

I am saddened by those who aspire towards positions without passion...

They are generally driven by money...or a lift of their ego...or some other self-serving need...

These individuals cause more problems than they are worth...

Because they have yet to connect with what they are really supposed to be doing...

In a previous entry...I discussed that we are specifically "programmed" to fulfill a specific purpose...

This is our "calling"

Our first goal is to identify our "calling" or purpose...

Our second goal is to live up to our calling...otherwise...

Nature will call us a great experimental failure...and try another variation!

Trying to be something you are not...is about as futile and believing yourself to be a bird and capable of unaided flight!

Find what you are meant to be and live that purpose with everything that you have!

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Successful people avoid failure at all cost!

I was recently talking with an individual that is highly successful...looking for some bit of wisdom...

He told me that his secret to success was very simple...

He simply does not allow failure to be an alternative in any activity that he does...

If he did not allow failure to be a REAL alternative...it can't happen!

He doesn't waste time focusing on anything but success...because failure can not and will not divert his attention from anything but success...

Another interesting discussion was that he often ensures his success by defining it (success) himself...and redefining it as he progresses...

Let's look at this for a minute...

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Maslow and Success...(Our Discussion Took a Turn...or Did it?)

To further understand his defining success...

I asked him if he aspired towards "Self-Actualization" as others do...

His answer intrigued me...

He said that he aspired to be the best that he could be...whatever "rung" he found himself at!

He explained that many times in his life...he was totally at the bottom...scraping for "air, food and water" and at that point in his life...aspiring to be anything other than physiologically fulfilled would have been frustrating and useless!

His focus was always on the moment...seeking contentment at that level...and NEVER aspiring to be anything more than the best that he needed to be...with what life had handed him...

Having met those needs...he almost mystically found himself at a higher level...and challenged to meet a whole new set of needs!

He explained that looking higher is looking at one's "wants"...versus "needs!"

It is selfish to put "wants" over "needs"

Marketing pushes the conversion of an individual's "wants" into "needs" by convincing that us that we can not live without them...and that we deserve them despite our current position in life...the bottom line is that they get our money and resources...and we get stuck where we are at...wallowing in unfulfilled needs...

His stance is that an individual's emotional maturity (E/IQ) can easily be determined by how well they can control their "wants" and how aligned their needs are with their plight...(position on the hierarchy)

Ultimately this alignment is the determiner of happiness and success...

By the way...he is always successful and happy...

I can attest that he is now beyond self-actualization (OK...the highest form of it) living in a world of charitable work and giving...

He is not hungry or thirsty...although he has been so...for more than a week on many instances...
His safety and security is not threatened...although it has been...
He is loved...although he has been alone...
He is well educated...although he dropped out of high school seeking temporal happiness...
He is giving back to the world...although he once stood on a street corner hoping for his next hand-out!

The one thing that he told me...and I believe him...is that not once has he ever been unhappy...

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As we talked he picked up my bottled water and said...

You and I could stand on the shore of the ocean...and I could try to sell it to you...

You would consider me a fool...

But if I bottle just a few fluid ounces of it...(desalinated of course)...you'll pay me over a dollar for it!

It is funny how breaking things into small affordable pieces can make a person successful and rich!

I began my life with an ocean of possibilities in front of me and I tried to sell it to the world...

They looked at me as if I were a fool...( I later realized that I was a fool!)

I found that I needed to bottle my abilities into a small affordable package and sell that!

and low and behold...it worked!

His ultimate advice is...SPECIALIZE!

Don't try to fix the world...

Just fix a small piece of it!

No matter what it is...learn to be happy with it...

Hmmm....that sounds like my week!

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Have a great fulfilling week!

Be realistic...assess your position...

DO NOT aspire beyond your current "tier" and do that extraordinarily!

PURA VIDA!