The Benefits of Living Life on Purpose

There is something about human nature that makes you feel incomplete if you don’t have a purpose in life – a reason to get up in the morning. Generally, your purpose will be different from mine, and at times, your purpose may be different at different stages of your life. But the difficulty and the frustration is that it may even be difficult to know and understand your purpose in life. What is definite is that there are benefits to living on purpose.

Living life on purpose means having a focus, a vision for your life, and what you want to accomplish; you embrace finding a way to fulfill that purpose. It is too often easier said than it is actually to discover and then put into practice. Living on purpose is so important that books are written about it and there are individuals – coaches, ministers, and teachers – we seek after to help us uncover our purpose. That’s how important living a life with purpose is.

There is no judgment about what the purpose in life is for you, but fulfillment of that purpose is crucial, and is beneficial to your health and wellbeing. Not living a purpose filled life, can cause stress, and continued stress can cause disease.

Live without purpose in your life and you wander, drifting through the days with no real direction; no real destination. There are lots of directions with many tasks that you may go on any given day, but there is no focus on the destination because you don’t know what that destination is.

You may have a good job, a wonderful family, lots of friends and family, even lots of money; however, if those aren’t your purpose, your reason for being, then you are still out of focus.

Children provide the example of what living on purpose looks like. For them, it is an unconscious act. Most moms can give you example after example of their children becoming completely absorbed and purposeful about their activities and what they want to accomplish. Parents may even remark on how difficult it is to either make them take a break – or not to eat, or not to take a bath, or to even go to bed. Children can teach you about being purposeful and we can apply that lesson to our own lives.

Living on purpose provides the benefit of keeping you grounded and focused with clearly defined goals – living life intentionally.

At the end of each day, when reviewing your actions, have they been just a random collection of actions that have little to no meaning for you? Was the day merely a blur you had to endure while performing functions on automatic? I submit that you make a change and start appreciating the moments you are given and know that every minute of each day is an irretrievable gift. The actions you take should not be a matter of routine.

What can you do to live life purposefully and have the benefit of being grounded with peace of mind? Why don’t you:
Keep a journal. Journaling will help you see how even small things will contribute to your life’s purpose.
Start each day with the mindset of accomplishing the tasks that contribute to your goals.
Pay attention to the small things, which can be just as important as the big stuff. You wouldn’t overlook the smaller pieces of a jigsaw puzzle would you? When creating the world, God didn’t overlook the acorn, a seemingly minor item. If he had, there would be no oak trees and then what would the squirrels eat and in what trees would the squirrels live? Something small contributing to the bigger picture.
Acknowledge your talents and apply them to your life, especially when they align with your purpose. Do you know what happens if you bury and ignore your talents?
Meditate often. During meditation you still your mind so that you can be receptive to living your life with purpose.
Keep a “to do” list in order to monitor the tasks and challenges facing you daily.
Be conscious of the choices you make. Those choices should contribute in some way to your purpose in life.

In John 18:37, Jesus acknowledges his purpose in life when asked by Pilate, “Pilate said, So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth…”

The greatest benefit of living a life on purpose is living mindfully with the knowledge that you have not wasted your life but rather lived with intent and stayed true to your values.

Whenever there is a need for assistance with uncovering your purpose in life, don’t hesitate to get assistance. We can all use an objective voice from time to time. Let me help you discover your life’s purpose and the benefits you will gain.

Don’t miss my messages everyday. Tell a friend. You never know who might need to hear these words.

If you want to learn more of how you can live your life on purpose and fearlessly, contact me at 205.225.9757. I invite you to tune in to my Periscope talks at 8:30 am est and 10:30pm est everyday. You can also listen to me on WJPMJ radio on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 12N est. Download the app or listen online at bitly/wjpmjradio.