The Power of Purpose

I found this very true to my situation and stand by everything written in this article. It truly is something to live by and in all actuality, will set you up for success. Enjoy!

The Power of Purpose
Written by Coach Erik Hajer, B.S., CPT for CityGirlBites.com

Purpose fuels motivation. Ordinary people have done the extraordinary with an inspiring purpose. A mother can suddenly lift a car off her trapped child. A blind man can summit Mt. Everest. A woman who has struggled with her weight since childhood can lose 125 lbs. and change the course of her life forever. The power to do the extraordinary is not something bestowed on select individuals. It lives and grows within each of us, including you! Cultivating the power of an inspiring purpose drives your transformation program by igniting action.

The purpose I’m talking about is one that can get you out of bed on a cold winter morning to exercise before work. Or can move to follow through on your intention to make empowered food choices. Cultivating this kind of purpose requires both present and future benefit to your actions. For example your intention is to lose 20 lbs, your present benefit might be the “feel good” endorphins you get from a vigorous exercise session. Or feeling energized and empowered after a nutrient charged meal. Your future benefit might be to support your long-term health and look fantastic in your transformed physique.

The key is to set yourself up for success by focusing on immediate successes (present benefits) as well as long-term goals (future benefits) Knowing that your actions will yield immediate gratification and success as well as move you towards your future goals can create momentum and motivation when the going gets tough.

The next step is to charge your purpose with intense emotion. A purpose aligned with intense emotion creates the internal leverage to move you into action.

Have you ever felt as if you were consistently fighting your mind as you pursued positive change in your life? Have you ever found yourself acting in ways that you knew did not support your goals yet felt as if you had no control? If so, you are not alone. No matter who you are, chances are you’ve experienced internal roadblocks and subsequent actions that have sabotaged your intentions. When this happens, most people rely on willpower to get them over the top. The challenge is, in most cases they regress back to old habits and behaviors that keep them stuck. Has this ever happened to you? If so cultivating an inspiring purpose is one simple yet potent strategy for staying motivated and connected when willpower is not enough to breakthrough.

Using the questions below as a guide, I invite you to cultivate and super-charge your purpose. The intention is to connect as much emotion to your purpose as possible.

What is my purpose for manifesting my goal (s)?
What is the present benefit (s) I will get from taking action towards my goal?
What is the future benefit (s) I will get from taking action towards my goal?
What brings me the most joy in my life? How will acting on my purpose enhance that joy?
Who do I love and who loves me? How will acting on my purpose enhance those relationships?
How will my life be enhanced when I act on my purpose? Energy? Health? Well-being?
Does my purpose fire me up? When I dwell on my purpose do I feel excited? Motivated? Passionate? Alive?
Do I feel emotionally connected to my purpose? Do I have a burning desire to take action? If not how can I make my purpose more compelling?

I encourage you to commit your answers to paper and hang it in a prominent place like your bathroom mirror or refrigerator. Review your purpose at the beginning of each day. Remember an inspired purpose charged with emotion can fuel motivation and ignite action. When you make that connection you become unstoppable!