Are you climbing the right mountain?
How tired are you today? If I’m honest, I’m exhausted. This was a totally exhilarating, challenging, draining week. You see, every year I take our senior leadership and executive team offsite to lead a strategic planning event to set the course for where we want to be in three years and what we want to accomplish in the coming year. I absolutely love this time with these great individuals. But, it’s exhausting.
I may not know you personally, but I’ll bet you’re tired too.
Every day we’re striving. Every day we’re running. Every day we’re working to create. What keeps us going is often a sense of…yep, you guessed it…PURPOSE.
More than anything else, having a sense of purpose keeps a person going in the midst of adversity. Business consultant Paul Stoltz did an extensive study on what it takes for individuals to persist through setbacks.
According to Stoltz, the most important ingredient of persistence is, “Identifying your mountain, your purpose in life, so that the work you do is meaningful. I run into people every day who are basically climbing the wrong mountain. People who have spent 20 years or more of their lives doing something that has no deep purpose for them. Suddenly they look back and go, ‘What have I been doing?’”
If you are a purpose-driven person naturally, then you probably already possess an innate sense of direction that helps you overcome adversity. But if you’re not, then you may need some help. Use the following steps to help you develop a desire.
•Get next to people who possess great desire. By surrounding yourself with people who are motivated, it inspires motivation in you.
•Develop discontent with the status quo. Change isn’t easy, but keeping moving is essential. When we are content with the status quo, complacency is right around the corner. Our theme for 2018 should be a constant theme in our lives…What got us here won’t get us there.
• Search for a goal that excites you. When your goal connects with the deepest part of who you are, you often are able to find a supernatural strength to press forward through even the most challenging times.
• Put your most vital possessions into that goal. Achievement requires risk and investment. When you give your time, your talent, and your treasure to your goal, the value of the achievement is so much higher.
Visualize yourself enjoying the rewards of that goal. If you follow this strategy, you may not immediately find your ultimate purpose, but you will at least start moving in that direction. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing.” —Failing Forward
As you look forward to the new year, ask yourself the question “Am I climbing the right mountain?” It’s all about purpose. Are you bringing your best every day to the goal that’s nearest and dearest to your heart. When you climb the wrong mountain, it’s a burden. When you climb the right mountain, even the hard, challenging, exhausting days are inspirational because you have a picture of the summit and won’t stop short of making your way to the top.
Live. Love. Lead. Leave a Legacy!
Dr. Jason Brooks