Don’t compromise your Purpose

While we live in a Society that is constantly reminding us that our value is directly influenced by the amount of people we have around us, the amount of "likes" on each of the pictures we upload or the amount of "followers" on our social media profiles, it is very easy to forget that there is a bigger purpose for our lives than we ever imagined possible. In many cases, we get so caught up with everyone else’s “filtered” lives that we forget to live our own. This new era of Social Media has amplified the issue and it seems that we are more disconnected than ever as we tend to give more attention to our phone screens then to the people in front of us. We buy into the ideology that we constantly need to be busy, hustle, work 24 hours a day nonstop, no time for family, no time for people, on the grind, no sleep, no excuses, no days off...ect ect ect…. and that if we do that, we will become a part of the “Elite” who achieve success and material wealth and possessions. In my opinion success and purpose are 2 completely different things. It is possible to reach success while completely missing your purpose in life. The problem is that without Purpose, your life has no meaning, and without meaning, your life has no significance.

The other day I was listening to an entrepreneurship book that for a while kept me extremely engaged. After about the 7^th chapter or so, the book exclaimed that business came first and family second. I immediately stopped listening to it and haven’t touched it since. Neglecting the people that love and care for you because you are too “busy” seeking approval, wealth, popularity or success is one of the biggest mistakes you can ever make. “Busyness” destroys relationships. I’ve made that mistake multiple times in my life and it’s painful. Especially when those people you love are no longer here and you would do anything to spend one more day with them.

You see, everyone’s life is driven by something. Some people are driven by fear, others by materialism, but many others are driven by popularity and by the need for approval. The problem is that when Popularity is the main driving force of your life, you are subconsciously being controlled by the opinion of others and are guaranteed to miss the Purpose for your life. Popularity, Power, Possessions and Pleasures don’t last, they are all temporary. Purpose on the other hand is what gives your life meaning and what makes it worth living. Not only does it give your life direction, but it also focuses your life and simplifies it. Life is about relationships, it’s about people and your purpose will always involve serving and impacting others. I believe that in our hearts we truly seek meaning and that we need to invest our lives in something that will outlast us. The greatest tragedy is not death but a life with no purpose!

Over the last few years I’ve learned that Life is not about me but about being connected to my creator who is the only one that knows the purpose for which I have been created. I’ve come to realize that without him, my life will never make sense. One of my mentors recently shared the story about his father in law who passed away a few years back. Here was a man who was extremely wealthy and who accomplished many great things in his life. As he lay in his death bed, the last few words out of his mouth were “Somehow I feel like I’ve wasted my life” He lived a life of great accomplishment, power, and popularity, but with no purpose.

In closing, my advice to you is this; don’t compromise your Purpose for Popularity nor jeopardize your values for the sake of being liked! You get one shot at this thing called LIFE, so make it count and invest it in the things that really matter!

You are Destined for Greatness!

 A.P