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February 28 - March 19, 2021
Q. If your life keeps going in this direction, if you take away the illusion of hope or optimism, how do you predict your life will turn out in two, three, or five years?
inspiration and purpose are both self-generated.
Q. What is something you could make this area of your life be about?
Q. If you made this your purpose, what would you do differently (like, really DO differently, with new actions, new responses, etc.)? Keep in mind, this is about what you will do now rather than what you won’t do anymore.
Q. If you allowed this purpose to spread to other areas of your life, what areas would be most significantly affected and why?
Q. By being true to this purpose, what kind of human being would you get to be that you currently do not experience yourself as?
Q. What are the roadblocks (typical behaviors of yours that are self-destructive/indulgent or otherwise negative) that might get in the way of this purpose and that you’ll now have to be vigilant about?
Q. When the compulsion to act in this way arises, what will you do instead that is more aligned with your purpose?
Q. How will you know you have been successful in realizing your purpose every day?
In the words of the Roman philosopher Seneca, “The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.”
Q. Let’s start with your career or business. If you were to start living with some clear intention, a spine from which you find inspiration and clarity, would you work the same hours or more or less? Would you put the same amount of effort and focus into your projects, or does having a purpose shift your attention?
Q. Start thinking about how your day would change if you were living with purpose. How you’d spend your free time, how much pride you’d take in your work, how you’d interact with your boss or clients or co-workers. How could you bring some life to these seemingly “ordinary” aspects of your life?
Q. This applies to your social life as well. How would your dating or intimate relationships change if you approached them with some real intention? Would you spend more or less time with your parents or children or friends?
Q. Again, run through your normal routine in your mind, and imagine what it’d look like if you made that change. Your hobbies apply here too. How do you spend your free time? With a more purposeful life, how would that change? Maybe you’d spend more time with your hobbies. Or waste less time on stuff that doesn’t contribute to living your life with intention.
05 Seven Assignments
1: “I AM WILLING” You realize you have the life you’re willing to put up with, right? So let’s put this into practice.
2: “I AM WIRED TO WIN” Consider everything in your life as a win. Even when you’re losing, it’s a win for some subconscious programming. What could you accomplish if you focused that hard wiring for victory onto something of your own choosing?
3. “I GOT THIS” We often fool ourselves into thinking life is too much or that somehow we’re just not equipped to handle the tougher challenges. Yet if you look back on your life you’ll see a litany of testing circumstances that you triumphed over. No matter how tough it gets, you got this both then and now and long into the future.
4. “I EMBRACE THE UNCERTAINTY” Human beings are addicted to certainty. The problem is, it doesn’t exist—it’s a myth handed down from generation to generation. To succeed in this life will require you to embrace this world of uncertainty and fight for the life you really want.
5. “I AM NOT MY THOUGHTS; I AM WHAT I DO” Most people give too much significance to what’s going on in their heads. They follow a trajectory of self-doubt; fear; considerations; and plain, old-fashioned superstition. Life only changes in the paradigm of action. That’s it. If you want to change, do differently than you did before. You are not your thoughts. ACT!
6. “I AM RELENTLESS” Relentlessness is a force of nature that is available to all human beings. It’s easy to take your life on when you’re enthusiastic or excited or determined. But what do we do when all that’s gone? Be relentless.
7. “I EXPECT NOTHING AND ACCEPT EVERYTHING” Our lives become muddied and confused by the constant pressures of expectations. The problem is, we can’t really see that the worst expectations are the kinds we ourselves put into the mix. Real freedom and power emerge when you free yourself from the self-imposed prison of expectations.
06 Conclusion: A See-You-Soon Kind of Farewell
