8 Ways to Live on Purpose

 

Og Mandino gives us this challenge regarding the idea of living life on purpose:

“Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.”

 

I found this quote less than 24 hours before the totally unexpected passing of Kobe Bryant, NBA basketball great and champion of youth sports and awareness of homelessness issues.  His tragic death served to drive this point home for me.

So I began questioning what are some ways we can put this concept into action.

1.  Be kind to those closest to you

We tend to treat the people who matter most to us – the ones we live with – as if they will always be there.  And we often treat them like they have no feelings.  We bark orders at them instead of asking, we hurl insults meant to wound with little thought to the hurt they cause, or we ignore them, yell at them, criticize them.

It’s great to know unconditional love.  It is in these situations that we can really “let our hair down” and be our true selves.  But that doesn’t mean our spouse, sibling, parent, or child is inconsequential.

Live on purpose by making a point to say things like, “thanks, honey, for fixing that really good dinner,” and “thanks, dear, for emptying that trash.”  And say “I love you” often, especially when parting.  You never know whether or not you’ll get another chance.

2.  Notice the unsung and sing their praises

In a radio interview years ago, Tony Dungy said he would find out how a recruiting prospect treated the equipment manager of his college team as a way to help Coach know if this young man would be an asset to the team.  It’s true – “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”—Malcolm S. Forbes.

Notice these people in your life and live on purpose by thanking them for their contributions to your life and finding little ways to make their lives easier.

3.  Practice random acts of kindness

Another important aspect of living on purpose is practicing random acts of kindness.  Do something intentional for no reason other than to make someone else happier.

Notice the people in your everyday life.  What are their likes, what motivates them, what do they desire?  Live on purpose by anonymously leaving them something special.

Pay for the coffee of the person next in line.  Don’t wait around to see their reaction or accept their thanks.

Reach something from that high shelf at the supermarket for the vertically challenged grandma you see struggling.

4. Pay it forward

Yes, it’s great to allow someone else the pleasure of giving you a gift.  And always be grateful.  But then turn around and live on purpose by giving it back.

Did you have a mentor who helped get you started with music lessons or an acting class?  Find another person to teach those skills to.

Did someone pay your way?  Pick up the tab for the next guy or girl.

   

 

 

 

 

5. Join a service organization

Living on purpose means choosing to care about others.

Rotary (“service above self”), Kiwanis (“serving the children of the world”), and Lions International (“We serve”) are just a few clubs whose focus is on serving others.  I am quite partial to the Lions clubs, the largest service organization in the world.  My family and I have been involved with them since I was a very small child due to their huge impact on eye research.  But choose a group that you identify with and get involved.  It’s a great way to find a purpose for your life and your time.

6.  Be intentional with your words and thoughts

Live on purpose by being mindful of the words we sometimes so randomly throw around.

Do not be a victim of foot-in-mouth disease.  Words are like toothpaste – once you squeeze them out, they can’t be put back in.

According to Psychology Today, “any form of negative rumination…will stimulate the release of destructive neuro-chemicals.” Conversely, “positive words and thoughts propel the motivational centers of the brain into action and they help us build resilience when we are faced with life’s problems.”

This includes the words that you tell yourself.  Be aware of your thoughts. Notice them and when you find them going in a direction that does not help you to live on purpose, shift them to where you want them to be.  Let go of thoughts that don’t make you feel good about yourself and your life’s mission.

7.  Follow through on promises made to God

Live on purpose by tending to your spiritual growth.  I grew up in church and still attend regularly.  Faith guides my life.  Many times I’ve watched parishioners sing about their faith and pray about living a Godly life.  And then I’ll see those same people outside the church, doing exactly the opposite of what they’d promised God.

Even if organized religion isn’t your thing, live your life like a church.  Be consistent in your life choices, making sure they reflect your beliefs and that you aren’t just paying lip service or putting on an act to build yourself up.   

8.  Focus on joy

Live on purpose by sharing joy.  Joy has many benefits –  it promotes a healthier lifestyle, boosts your immune system, fights stress and pain, supports longevity.

Spread joy to others.  Send a birthday card.  Tell someone to have a great day.  Compliment a stranger.  Send a thank-you note.  Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.  Smile at a stranger.

And don’t forget your own joy.  Do an uplifting and enjoyable activity that’s not goal-oriented, just for fun. Throw a Frisbee with your dog, dance like nobody’s watching, go hiking, look at beautiful art, enjoy a concert, or make love. Play and other activities that don’t have a purpose other than helping us feel relaxed and happy keep our mind focused in the present. The present is where joy lives.  Joy doesn’t come from others; it comes from within. Interrupt negative thoughts about yourself and replace them with statements that honor yourself.  Also, focus on the good and what you do well.  Click on the piano to hear Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.

Honor the memory

I’ve chosen to write this post that is a little off the beaten path for my blog because we need to stop traveling once in a while and sit with our memories.  We need to give ourselves a chance to feel something and to honor those who came before is.  I’ll probably never achieve the greatness that was Kobe Bryant.  And I’ll probably never take a place on the world stage.  But maybe I can change my own little piece of the world by learning to better live on purpose and honor the lives of all those who’ve had an influence on my life.

Leave me a comment and tell me your best way to live on purpose!