UNSTOPPABLE PURPOSE!

Excerpted from the best-selling audio program, Unstoppable Challenge.

How did a woman with no money, industry experience, or college degree create a $5 billion product line the industry giants missed?

What allowed a young man labeled “unemployable” by government agencies to become a top-producing salesperson and receive his employer’s highest honor?

What drove a teenage boy to leave his African homeland and complete a perilous 3,000-mile, two-year journey on foot with absolutely no money or resources?

The answers to these questions can be found in the unstoppable spirit; a spirit that enables people to overcome fear, doubt, and great adversity to achieve what the rest of the world sees only as “impossible.”

From the greatest global achievement to the most personal accomplishment in our daily lives, the unstoppable spirit is the driving force for positive change and growth. This spirit is the force that breaks through countless personal barriers--barriers of self-doubt, negativity, and our own perceived limitations. It compels us to persist in striving toward our goals.

But how does one develop an unstoppable spirit? Is it only for those with superhuman abilities?  Must one be born with a special gift? After interviewing hundreds of candidates for my book, Unstoppable, I found the answer to be a resounding No. These individuals are not “superheroes.” Most of them are just like you and me, experiencing their share of disappointments and frustrations. However, even in those moments, these people exhibit a few distinguishing characteristics that separate them from all others. These characteristics enable them to keep going when others would throw in the towel.

And the first characteristic they embodied was an Unstoppable Purpose. Purpose is what provides personal meaning and satisfaction to your life. It is the WHY -- why you are here, and who you fundamentally are. It is the unique gifts and insights you bring to the planet and can contribute in your life span.

A purpose is not the same thing as a goal or a plan, although they are related. Goals and plans act in service to your purpose; they are the stepping stones along the path to what offers ultimate fulfillment. When it is true and strong, purpose fuels your efforts and gives you the drive to continue, no matter what the challenges.

Laura Beth Moore had a goal to establish a recycling center in her community. But this amazing twelve year old was able to overcome the rejection of countless adults, not because she had a goal, but because she was completely absorbed in its higher purpose -- to help save the earth, to protect the environment for present and future generations.

Helen Keller once said that fidelity to a worthy purpose was far more fulfilling than self-gratification. If the secret of success and fulfillment is being faithful to your purpose, then only one question remains. And it's not a simple one. How do those who don't feel or know their sense of purpose discover it? It's not only a difficult question, but an important one, for not only success, but lasting happiness depends on your ability to answer it accurately.

It's been said that "Everyone dies, not everyone really lives," and sadly this is true.Too many people live what Thoreau called "lives of quiet desperation" -- enduring, waiting, wondering what their lives are all about, hoping it will suddenly become clear to them in a divinely inspired moment. Meanwhile, they simply survive, going through the mechanical motions of living, without ever experiencing the spark of Aliveness. They watch their live’s quickly pass by and become increasingly fearful that it will end before experiencing any true joy or deep sense of purpose.

Have you ever felt that way--that something was missing in your life? I did. For five years I diligently sought to discover what I wanted to do with my life. I was working for a Fortune 500 company and my job brought many rewards including a six-figure income. But I knew that as challenging as my work was, it was not why I was put on the planet.

While working a demanding full-time job, I used my late evenings and weekends to explore other opportunities. I researched several industries and investigated businesses that I could start. I got my real estate license, took courses on importing and exporting, and even helped a friend launch a “home shopping” television show selling art--just to name a few. So what’s wrong with this picture? My efforts were scattered. I had no decision-making criteria for the opportunities I investigated. If an opportunity looked interesting and offered strong financial potential, I was interested. 

It wasn’t until I discovered my true purpose that I experienced genuine direction in my life. Once I had found my purpose, I finally had a guideline to use in evaluating which interests and activities to pursue both personally and professionally.

The entire process, and it is a process, didn’t occur overnight. The process required self-reflection and patience--two qualities that are difficult for most of us. But now that I’ve identified my true purpose, it has injected a new-found vitality in my spirit.  At the same time, it has provided a sense of peace about my life and where I’m going.

Identifying your true purpose can do the same for you! The following exercise was particularly useful to me in identifying my purpose, and I encourage you to try it.

Action:  Take out a sheet of paper and answer the question “How I Want to Be Remembered.”  List the qualities, deeds, and characteristics for which you would like to be remembered by your friends, spouse, children, co-workers, the community, and even the world. If you have special relationships with other people or groups, such as a church or synagogue, club, or team, include them on the list too. In the process of writing, you will begin to uncover your true values and the sources of meaning in your life.  Observe the patterns that emerge. 

By making the effort to identify your purpose, you will find yourself completely transformed. Most individuals find it to be an evolutionary process that is fine-tuned over a period of time.  But consider the return on your investment. Once you determine where you’re headed and why, you could potentially save years of pursuing activities and vocations that offer little meaning and lack harmony with your true sense of purpose. And once awakened to your purpose, no obstacle will be able to stop you. It’s simply too important! You will emerge happier, stronger and healthier. For purpose will ignite your spirit and heals your soul.

“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for.  And the most you can do is live inside that hope.  Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.”

 - Barbara Kingsolver

Click here to read Legson's amazing story.

© 2007 Cynthia Kersey. All rights reserved. No part or portion of this content may be distributed without prior written consent from Unstoppable Enterprises, Inc.