Let Purpose Be Your Guide

Happy 2007! During this season of fresh starts, I encourage you to devote time to considering your life’s purpose. Let this month’s insight shift your focus in an exciting new direction -- all the best to you for a purposeful year!

I’ve observed that we live in a “should” culture. We bow to the “shoulds,” pay homage to the “ought tos” and enslave ourselves to the “have tos.”

We listen to the wrong voices. And by doing so, we neglect the voice of our life purpose – the voice that really has something to say – something exhilarating, passionate and expansive. At the beginning of this new year, I urge you to listen to your voice of purpose. I encourage you to understand its power, and recognize that your purpose is the best guide. When people and circumstances swirl around you like autumn leaves in a strong wind, your purpose is your internally grounded constant compass. If you listen to its direction, it will show you exactly where to go.

Despite the power inherent in living our purpose, there’s a cultural message telling us it’s optional. Not true. If you choose to live without purpose, you’ll probably be dissatisfied, if not miserable. Your life will feel off kilter and you’ll live according to shoulds, ought tos and have tos.

But to imbue life with any meaning, joy or satisfaction, you must live with purpose. Yet why do some of us perceive that purpose is optional? Consider the following erroneous beliefs:

• Focusing on life’s purpose, or on yourself, is selfish or a luxury.
• You are supposed to get a good job with benefits and stay in it (even if it kills your spirit) until you retire.
• If you try to identify your purpose, you won’t find it.
• If you do find it, your life will drastically and painfully change.
• The landscape of known pain seems an easier journey than the territory of the unknown.

Honor yourself by learning your purpose. Reconnect to passion, notice what excites you and energizes you. Get rid of those things, people or places that drain your energy. Stop tolerating. Stop settling for less than what you deserve. Clear a path for purpose.

As you fully engage in the “want tos” in your life, pieces of the purpose puzzle will start falling into place. Purpose often reveals itself quietly – you probably won’t be struck by a lightening bolt. Your purpose may assume a singular form, or it may be multi-faceted. Its shape is its shape and it’s the reason you’re here.

Use this year to uncover your purpose and embrace it with a vengeance. Break out of the “have to” box, bust open that bag of “want tos” and listen to your voice of purpose. You’ll be glad you did – and so will the rest of us!

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Products & Services

• Coaching Services. Does your career need a tune up? Your business a realignment? How about your passion and purpose – could they stand to be reignited? I’d love to offer you a complimentary coaching consultation. Please contact me directly at 781-316-1923 or write to claudette@metavoice.org to book your 30 minutes with me.
   
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The Myers-Briggs is one of my professional passions. If you’d like an easy way to get more information about your innate personality preferences, this is the assessment for you! The results apply to practically every area of your life: career satisfaction, communication styles, relationship preferences, and your general approach to life. For more information, please visit http://www.metavoice.org/mbriggs
   
• A Guide to Getting It: A Clear, Compelling Vision. I co-authored this book and I’m so pleased to share it with you. This book is a great resource for the new year – tune up your vision and reignite your life! To purchase, please go to http://www.metavoice.org/store

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Useful Resources

• Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by Gregg Levoy. This book makes it onto my list of top five favorite non-fiction books. Throughout his book, Levoy accurately conveys the peaks and valleys one encounters when hearing and following a calling. A beautiful and useful book – the best kind.
   
• Do What You Are by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger. This book is the nexus of Myers-Briggs and career satisfaction. If you’ve taken the Myers-Briggs and you’re contemplating a career change, this book is for you. If you’ve never taken the Myers-Briggs and you’re considering a career change, this book is still for you.
   
• Me! Don’t hesitate to contact me about my coaching services, presentation offerings or for more information about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. I’d love to add value to you or your organization!
   

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