| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
Purpose
Many people go through much of their lives without really thinking about their purpose. I don't mean a lofty, philosophic, and often unrealistic purpose that has us striving to save the world or solve the challenge of poverty throughout the world (although these are both admirable for those whose true purpose is to do so). What I am talking about is the individual and unique purpose that drives and grounds us. The one thing that gives meaning to our lives and motivates us to achieve our potential. Purpose is best expressed in two parts. The first part is fixed. This is the intrinsic nature or core of who we are. It describes the "what" of our purpose and does not change over time or across situations. The second part is variable. It is "how" we express our purpose and can change over time or across situations. The "how" represents the actions that we take in the fulfillment of our purpose. When our actions are synchronized with our purpose, we will not only perform our best but we will also feel our best. For example, in my previous management roles, I always found myself feeling the most satisfied and energized both during and after helping one of my team members solve a particularly challenging situation. As I was to discover, this reflected the fact that this situation or activity was in sync with my purpose which was to "help others to help themselves" (the "what") by coaching people to explore their options and discover their capabilities (the "how"). In my current coaching practice, the work I do with my clients is one of the most satisfying times in my day as it allows me to fully express my purpose. One way of viewing our lives and our state of being is as a system. When part of that system is out of sync with the rest, we cease to function efficiently and effectively. When our actions are out of sync with our purpose, we do not function at our best. This is what happens when we spend our time focused on material and external rewards. We fail to truly attend to our purpose and risk working against our true nature. This leads to both dissatisfaction and unhappiness as we go through life trying to swim against our natural flow. If we focus our efforts on fulfilling our purpose, the material and external rewards will follow or, more often than not, will lose their importance. Even without these rewards, our lives will be much more fulfilling and this will lead to greater satisfaction. Purpose is particularly important in the fulfillment of our potential as it represents the ultimate commitment in our life. When we use our capabilities in activities that serve our purpose, we achieve a state in which our skills and our commitment are highly synchronized. In this state we are achieving what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi refers to as flow in his books "Flow" and "Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life" (I highly recommend these books). When we are in flow, we are at the highest level of engagement in what we do and are the most contented. For many of us, this state is achieved without awareness. All we know is that we are thoroughly and completely enjoying what we do. In identifying our purpose, there are a number of things that we can do. First, we can attend to situations in which we have achieved a state of flow. What are we doing when we are most contented? What activities provide us with the most enjoyment and satisfaction? When do we feel the most challenged and that we have the capabilities to meet these challenges head on? The activities in which we are engaged in during these situations represent the expression of our purpose. In examining these expressions of purpose we can discover the very essence of who we are. Second, we can look at where we have achieved the most success. Through examination of our successes we can discover both what we do well and what brings us satisfaction. Third, we can look at what we dream of doing and why. Our dreams provide us with great insight into where we can achieve potential and thus satisfy our purpose. Finally, we can follow our hearts. When we over-use our great ability to think and analyze in discovering our purpose, we too often begin to judge and, as result, limit our possibilities. Do not worry if you are uncertain about your purpose. Most of us do not discover our purpose without a lot of effort while some of us know right away. Look at discovering your purpose as an exciting journey. One that will allow you to better understand who you are and of what you are capable. Copyright © 2005 by Peter Cartmill, All rights reserved. Peter Cartmill is a Personal and Career Coach and the founder of GreatAspirations.ca. To learn more about how Coaching can benefit you, visit http://www.greataspirations.ca
MORE RESOURCES:
Coaching - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Right Coach Who is the Best Coach For Achieving Your Goals?A friend of mine was recently at a Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen workshop. They were promoting their Enlightened Millionaire Program. Unleash Your True Potential Some time ago I attended a birthday party and met a young guy who just happened to be 30. I say young because when you're 47, that is a young age!He told me about his career in a major corporate company where he's been working for the past 3 years. 3 Tips for a Great Summer - Developing Life & Business While Having a Blast As the last day of school arrives I feel the same tendency I had as a child.. Words That Inspire - PEACE WORDS THAT INSPIREA monthly quick shot to motivate you, in less than 45 seconds, from Julie Cohen CoachingHow might your PEACE impact the world?Dictionary*says:State of tranquility or quiet, freedom from civil disturbance, a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war.What it REALLY means:The feeling of contentment with your life at present; your state of being when things feel comfortable, at ease, light; time in which you feel centered, calm and well. Mentors and Coaches: How to Find a Great Mentor A career coach or mentor is a person who can guide you with the benefit of their experience. He or she may be someone more senior from within your organisation or someone external to your organisation who has been successful in the field or skills you want to develop. Do You Mind If Someone Screams At You? A headhunter was on the other end of the phone. He was looking for an assistant to a CEO/Owner for a small, but very successful business. Beware of Psychic Vampires I am often asked how I stay happy and motivated all the time. The answer has two parts to it; positivity and self-talk. The Incredible Human Psyche The intriguing Human psyche - more complex than the metamorphosing cocoon, and more phenomenal than the human brain could ever imagine.Deep within the realm of your subconscious is the centrifuge, or cerebral core of all Human possibilities. Corporate Coaching - Why Coach? C(5)+ED Is it possible to make a strong "business case for corporate coaching?" Why is coaching vital to organizations? Why should leaders invest time developing their coaching skills? These are tough, important questions that organizations should consider before implementing coaching.The need for corporate coaching certainly depends on the situation. How To Overcome Stuck States In Personal Growth Although many of us use self-help tools like affirmations, visualizations, NLP techniques, and spiritual invocations, we sometimes find that nothing happens. This, to say the least, is disheartening. Ten Benefits of Having a Relationship Coach As a Master Certified Relationship Coach, I work with singles to help them attract a great match and with couples to help put their relationships back on track. I hear great feedback from my clients about the value of coaching. Hows Your Self-Talk? You know, what are you saying to yourself? There's always something going on in there. Do you make positive statements about yourself to yourself or are you beating yourself up with your own words?"Know thyself" is a statement that comes to mind. Its Not What You Think My work in organizations involves dropping habitual ways of perceiving in order to contact a fresh and subtle perceiving "under the surface" of what is going on. That deeper sense of perceiving allows the emergence of what I call the Engaging Leader, or the genuine expression of myself and the collective. What Rules! There are things that we do automatically internally that we don't even realize are the things that make us who we are. Our own rules for living that we hardly ever question, and even less frequently examine. Flying in the Slow Lane Dogs distrust hot air balloons. I gathered this tidbit as my husband and I floated over the mountains in a wicker gondola, listening to the barking chorus that followed us even 3,000 feet into the air. Time Travel Let me quote something you wrote. "When you reach the boundary between like and love, you know you are entering a different country. Should I Get A Coach? Why should or would someone hire a life coach? Well, why would anyone purchase the services of a personal trainer, and interior designer or a sports coach - any professional "assistant" for that matter? After all, we all know how to exercise, how to hang a curtain and how to play our own game. But we hire a professional because we know that they will hold us accountable on our goals and objectives - and since we're paying good money for them to be there, often whether we show up or not, we have an added incentive to do so ourselves. Freedom for All; Is it Possible? Freedom for all species and people, and freedom of stress; is it possible? Could the Internet be a tool to getting there?Freedom, what is it? I am an Internet writer whose job is to write about the Internet. Does that mean I am locked into this one area? Am I allowed to write about other things? Well today I am going to test out my supposed freedom, by writing about freedom. The Right Time and Place (Channelled)Roy?I am sending you this quote from Sōtō Zen, Dōgen's Shōbōgenzō Zuimonki, please read it.Once someone advised Dōgen to go to Easter Japan if he wanted to see Buddhism prosper. Voice Care for Coaches Coaches rely heavily on their voice to service clients. If you also give teleclasses or workshops, voice maintenance needs to be one of their top self-care priorities.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
