How to Live with Purpose
So I listened to this really great interview between Bob Goff and Kelsey Humphreys, founder of the Pursuit, which you see here. Bob has a lot of life experience to share with the world, but for me, a theme of simplicity seemed to come across from what he was saying and how to live with purpose.
Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately? Too much work? Too much on your mind? Bob had some great insight into how to simply your life and how to live with purpose.
How to Balance Your Career with Your Life
Bob said this powerful statement which I love: “Don’t choose your career and then back fill your life. Choose your life and then back fill your career.” I love this statement, because it attaches your career to a greater cause or purpose. Your job fits around your life’s purpose. It doesn’t compete with your life’s purpose or drain your time and energy, but rather, it contributes to your passions and energizers you in the process.
It comes down to Priorities
So in a nutshell it comes down to priorities. A lot of people seem content enough to simply ‘go with the flow’. They follow logical life steps like study, get a job, get married, have kids etc. How often have you stopped and really considered your life? How often have you looked at your life course and considered what direction you want to go in? If you’re not intentional, you will simply follow and react to the events of your life. If you are purposeful, mindful and intentional, you will have an end goal or direction in mind and follow this with clarity.
Pick a Career that Compliments your Purpose and Passions
It’s simple isn’t it? You spend so much time in your job so how could you possibly fit all your goals and passions outside of your work? Be intentional about what you would like to achieve with your life and then find a job that can help you to achieve this. If you do this you will feel a sense of satisfaction with your work, deep passion about your life, and in the long run it will help you achieve your goals.
Saying No
The thing about clarity is that it allows you to see what’s really important; the vital things. It helps you to decipher the essential out of the clutter of every day life. And this is where saying no becomes an important skill set.
No one likes saying no but the truth is, you don’t have time to say yes to everyone. If you say yes to everything, then you will live out your life following everyone else’s priorities, not your own. If you have been bothered to be intentional with your life course, then you will make the effort to stay on track and only say yes to things that align with your purpose. You’ll also find it easier saying no when you have a sense of understanding and appreciation for your greater purpose in life.
Want to know something crazy? Bob says he has developed the habit of quitting something once a week to help him stay on track. Whaaat? Yes that’s right. He believes so strongly in being purposeful and mindful of his schedule and priorities, that he will regularly quit things that are taking him away from his purpose.
So if something is stopping you, then quit it. If it doesn’t fit with your purpose, then leave it.
I hope this inspires you, and helps you navigate how to live with purpose!
