Here’s one (simple but not necessarily easy) step to take.
Being stuck – in traffic, in a toxic relationship, or in a rut in your life – is frustrating!
In my work as a personal and career development coach, I’ve found that, without fail, people who are ‘stuck in a rut’ don’t have a clear sense of personal purpose – employees, entrepreneurs and execs included. Many have been chasing their passion(s) or honing their skillset but are no longer fulfilled nor motivated by them.
They’re skilled, professionally accomplished and may be in leadership positions but are questioning their ‘next’ in terms of ‘WHAT’ they do or want to do. Their identity and self-worth have become intrinsically wrapped up in their ‘WHAT’ (job title, ‘role’ in their personal lives) so when this reality is threatened, forced to change or no longer brings you joy, you become frozen with inaction, confusion and frustration.
Not true? Consider if you were to lose your job, were demoted, got divorced, lost a child or a significant relationship, if your business went under and you were left to pick up the pieces or when your deepest desire or dream is sabotaged. How many people do you know who have remained stuck after such an event, letting that circumstance hold them back?
Your Purpose is what gives you, well, purpose. To use every cliché, your Purpose is True North, your guiding star and shining beacon through every storm. Your Purpose is what gives you courage and resilience to keep forging ahead even when ‘life’ punches you in the gut, repeatedly.
Your Purpose is your reason for being, your why – it’s wired into your DNA – and ties in with your Values. Your Purpose comes from your core – it’s the reason why you exist. THIS knowing is what’s lacking from so many people and why we’re not fulfilled, are looking for meaning, feel directionless or have just settled into – what we believe – to be our ‘lot’ in life.
A personal example is that I wasn’t born to be an inspirational speaker nor a personal development and career coach or trainer BUT I was born to help you live a life that fulfills you! I was born to be a voice for the voiceless, which carries me through all the heartache that I encounter in living my Purpose.
Living my Purpose, on purpose – intentionally – brings me immense fulfillment, more than any passion I’ve followed in my life.
Sharing this truth is the fundamental reason as to why I wrote my book, * ‘Living On Purpose. The Key To Change Your Life And Impact Others.’ in the hope that it will liberate, free and empower you to create a life that you love and a career that fulfills you.
This is one of my all time favourite and life-transforming quotes by Mark Twain,
“The two most important days in your life
are the day you were born
and the day you find out why.”
So, if you’re stuck in a rut, feel directionless, frustrated with where your life is at and want to make a meaningful impact, find and connect with your ‘WHY’.
Actionable:
- Ask yourself, ‘Why do I exist? If all is stripped away – my title, status in society, skillset or the role I play in my family – who am I then? What is my WHY? What is the legacy I was born for?
We’ll dig deeper into this is a following article.
* ‘Living On Purpose. The Key To Change Your Life And Impact Others.’ book is a life and career development resource which shares the stories, lessons of 50 local and global leaders and the purpose-driven strategies they took in order to create fulfilled lives of impact. (Available in soft copy and Kindle)
“At a point in my life when I had just experienced so much loss and was trying to make sense of life again after the loss of my mom, followed by the loss of the child we could never have and finally the loss of my job, all in a 3month time-span, you where that breath of fresh air and hope that helped me refocus in order to get perspective on my life again and also making me realize that I stopped living a long time ago and was just existing, making a living instead of living. You asked the tough questions and gave me practical advice which I could implement immediately.” – E.Isaacs
