Self-Love Series: Focus on Your Purpose

Written by J.H. Gibbons

What a week it has been for you. You probably had a draining week since everyone is trying to get things done before the end of the year. Your boss is on your case because you aren’t moving quickly enough. That traffic on the way home was just a little more jammed, adding to your frustration.

At home, you are presented with a host of different issues because your daughter scratched her knee at the playground of her school and your son decided that this evening should be his fussiest time of the week. You’re probably exhausted and you’re ready for bed. But, before you close your eyes you turn on the TV to see what is going on around the world.

This week, you will be presented with many different controversial topics that have hit the airwaves. You may have heard about Jerry Jones presence during the Little Rock Nine incident in Arkansas. You may have heard why Ye (formerly known as Kayne West) believe that Hitler wasn’t as bad as the media portrayed him to be.

You may have heard more news about Twitter and its relation to politics. There was more news about interest rates, war in Ukraine, World Cup coverage, etc. The list goes on and on. If you had more time, I would love to break down all of this information for you to digest. However, our attention spans have decreased over time so I need to make sure we’re doing a better job keeping your attention by getting to the point of our monthly message with this series.

Whether you see or hear about this news through our podcast, mass media or from friends who feel the need to share their opinions on the subject, all of this can be overwhelming. We are in the self-help/personal development industry and, to be honest, many people in this industry work hard to distract you. They use incredibly motivational words and make very broad statements because it is the easy thing for you to digest.

Hearing that “you can do whatever you set your mind to” or “you can become a billionaire with these five easy steps” can be very distracting. Once you begin believing these messages, you become distracted from the journey you were supposed to be on. Don’t get me wrong. It is great to hear such messages if you use them to get you going. I like to listen to positive messages WHILE I am performing positive tasks because I am adding action to those works.

But, how do you remain focused on your own purpose? Well, you have to figure out what your purpose is and what it is not. Is your purpose to be someone who changes the lives of millions through their words? Are you here to teach others how to be better people in their own personal lives? Is your purpose to entertain? To love? To give? To produce?

You must answer this question before you know what you should focus on. Your purpose will be the driving force behind everything you do. From what you eat to where you spend your time, your moves should be in alignment with your purpose. The moment you allow one of these distractions to take control over your time is the moment you get off track.

Once you’re in alignment with your purpose, something amazing happens. No, your life won’t become easier. No, doors won’t magically open for you to walk into your next opportunity. No, all of life’s problems won’t be solved. However, your journey toward your purpose would become clear because you know where you are. You’re walking in your truth and you’re confident with your direction.

Though doors won’t magically open, you will know how to create your own luck. You will attend the right seminars that will put you in a great position to network with experts that will help you get your foot in the door. You will live in the best community that will encourage you to become successful through access to resources and accountability from peers. Though all issues will not be solved, your vision will be much clearer. That alone is freeing.

Focus on where you’re going. Become obsessed with the process and understand that the journey is the most important aspect of achieving your purpose.