A LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE IS EMPTY

A life without purpose is empty. Purpose animates the human experience. It is what turns on the light inside our hearts and minds. It is the one thing that awakens the soul...

...See this interesting article posted by John Ryan, founder of the Savita Education Trust, in full at http://becomingbettermen.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/life-without-purpose-is-empty.html

ENVIRONMENT FOCUS AND CLARITY: INGREDIENTS FOR ACHIEVING YOUR PURPOSE

The Environment we build around us can be our biggest barrier to achieving happiness, growth and authenticity. This is because it is a major determinant of our behaviour because our journey through it is intertwined with its design. It’s kind of like the lab-mouse in the maze we have built whereby the doorways, walls, and stairways determine which way the mouse travels and ultimately, the destination it reaches. In the same way, the environment we build for ourselves will always determine where we are going and where we end up. There is no denying that our environment plays a critical role in shaping our destiny.

So the best thing we can do with our environment is set about to create a sense of order about it. We need to learn to control and shape our environment – not let it control and shape us. Most critically, we need to draw on our imagination to create and build an environment that will best support our journey towards achieving our Life’s Purpose. We need to clear our path so that we can see where we are going.

Part of recreating our environment so as to create a clear and purpose-felt pathway to growth and authenticity is developing our focus. The more we develop our focus, the more we will see what it is that we want. If we are focused, our environment becomes less chaotic and confusing – more controlled and deliberate – and this further enhances the journey we are taking. The less confusion we experience, the more on path we can be.

Here’s a hint: confusion comes about when you try to figure out how you are going to get to your goal before you clearly know what your goal is.

Clarity is also an extremely important trait to bring into your environment. It helps when you find yourself stressed, confused and overwhelmed. When you are feeling like this, stop! Take a breathe… a little time out and ask yourself:

1. What is it I Really Want? What is my Purpose?

2. Where is it I need to go? Is it Clear to me?

3. How am I going to get there? Is my Environment right?

4. Who do I need to be?

This last point - Knowing who you are - stops you from identifying with the role you are playing and enables you to choose the roles and qualities in those you admire around you. This will not only allow you to stay firmly focused on your purpose, it will enhance it. It will help you know the type of person you need to be at every stage of your journey, enabling you to develop and hone those skills you require like an artist with wielding a brush. It enables you to create the Life you want to live.

FIND YOUR PURPOSE BUT ENJOY THE JOURNEY TOO

I would like you to start keeping a journal. I want you to start your journal by writing a list of things that you love doing or that you are passionate about. Once you have done this – and I don’t expect that you’ll cover everything in your first go – I want you to try and write down an indication of the direction you want your life to take – where do you want to go with it?

Finding your Purpose is one of the most important and critical aspects of seeking to live an Authentic Life. Finding and following your purpose is the best way that you can utilise all your unique gifts, talents and abilities to improve your place in the world – and to improve the world around you. So it is essential that you take a sharp focus on the direction you are headed, utilise your tremendous passion, and use your precious energy wisely to pursue your life’s purpose.

You will find that happiness doesn’t just reside in the ‘end point’ of achieving your purpose; it also and mostly lies in the enjoyment of the journey you take on the way to that destination. In other words, our the beauty of our purpose is not just about the goal we have set for ourselves; it is also about the journey we take to get there.

Along that journey there are things that we must accept, face or endure. These fit generally into three categories:

1. Accepting that we are responsible for our own creations. This is about owning the things we do, including those things we do wrong.
2. Facing Life’s challenges. I refer you back to my earlier post about How to be Authentic: First Steps. There I talk about the barriers of repression, projection, delusion and denial.
3. Enduring our suffering. In particular, the type of suffering that occurs because we have resisted the challenges that have been presented to us. 

In short, we need to learn how to realise and accept that both positive and negative experiences are there to help us grow and therefore feel more alive.

The path of least resistance is the path we must consciously choose to pursue growth. This will mean that we take on all the challenges that confront us head-on, doing so without fear and by living on the edge. My good friend John Ryan of the Savita Education Trust refers to this as “Flow”.

TWELVE GREAT PRINCIPLES TO ADD TO YOUR LIFE

As promised, this post provides examples of some great principles that I believe you can add to your life to help you on your journey of growth.

I recommend that you incorporate these principles into your everyday life and document any changes you experience in a journal that can become a testimony to your growth and change.

1.       Appreciate the positive qualities of the Masculine. It is time for you to step up and claim the right to be present. You should be proud to be a man and you should always maintain a high self worth that is not limited by what others may think or by why you perceive others may think.

2.       Be aware of any suppression of your emotion. Be determined to drive yourself beyond your limits while maintaining realistic expectations that encourage you towards success. It’s time to let go of the shackles of fear, failure and inadequacy.

3.       Be present with other Men who are going through life challenges. Get in touch with your feelings and develop your ability to communicate. Do not be afraid to express your needs and always be open to asking others for assistance. Accept Heartfelt Challenges from those around you and use those challenges to advance your cause.

4.       Open yourself up in times of challenge and confrontation or when you are feeling hurt or upset. Let go of your insecurities, shame and self-doubts. Accept that there is no need to hide anymore.

5.       Begin looking deeper within yourself and be willing to show and share intense emotions. Learn how to manage your anger and frustration in healthy ways without loss of power or sense of being weak.

6.       Become Authentic!!! Uncover your sense of purpose and direction and develop your passion, fulfilment, satisfaction and enthusiasm for life. You can do this just by being you.

7.       Stop feeling threatened or intimidated when confronted by the Feminine. Learn how to mutually respect, appreciate and celebrate the differences that femininity presents.

8.       Empower yourself as a Man, engage actively in relationships, stand firm in disagreements, and engage in an open, non-competitive, non-threatening manner to seek mutual understanding and connection.

9.       Discover the Sacredness in Sexuality. Learn how to open your heart to an expanded state of consciousness, a deep meaningful connection, and learn how to circulate the energy created there.

10.   Develop your playfulness and humour, laugh at yourself, laugh out loud, lark around, tell a joke and enjoy life in all its frivolity.

11.   Remember your innate ability to “Tinker” and start a project that has no tangible productive output.

12.   Unveil the Power of the Masculine, that Raw Masculine energy, The Wild Man, The Savage and unleash it in Sport, Drumming, Sound, Posture and Movement.