Are You Living a Life of Significance?

Are You Living a Life of Significance? 

My heart bleeds when I see so many people NOT living a life that is fulfilling; A life that leaves behind a positive legacy when they pass on. Simply, there are many who are not living out their full potential; they are settling for less than what they can do and be. 

Therefore, let me ask you a question, what do these words mean to you: vision, dreams, purpose, success, achievement, legacy, passion, and significance? When was the last time you meditated on such words for your own life?  Personally, I never thought much about these words until recently when I made a commitment to achieve something in my life. At that point I was asked the question, what is your WHY?” That is to ask, “why are you doing what you are doing?

 Knowing your “Why” or purpose in life is super important if we want to live fulfilled lives. John Maxwell in his book Intentional Living explains, “Humans are made to have meaning. Without purpose, life is meaningless. A meaningless life is a life without hope or significance”(81). Simply, when we have a purpose, dream, goal that fills us with passion it empowers a person to live a life that will be significant, that will leave a legacy. Also a strong “WHY” makes our way – the things we are doing now – meaningful and gives clearer direction when we have to make decisions.

            Hopefully you see now a little the importance of knowing your “WHY” because when you know your “Why” it helps you make decisions, find your way, and gives you the motivation to achieve your desire! You may be asking a really good question now, how do I find my WHY? Ask yourself these questions says Maxwell:

1.      What do you cry about, what causes you distress that you long you could change? He gives a personal example saying, “my heart breaks when I see people falling short of who they could be” (93).

2.       The second question to ask: what makes you sing? What puts a bounce in your step and makes you joyful?

3.      And the last question, what do you dream about? What do you want the picture of your life to look like. What do you want us to remember you for when you are no longer around? What do you want to accomplish?  

           It is interesting, in a survey, elderly people near the end of their lives were asked if they had any regrets in their lives. They found the majority of elderly struggle with a feeling of not having lived a fulfilled life. They regretted greatly the things they did NOT do, rarely did any regret the things they did do.

            With that said, I challenge everyone to stretch, to grow, to go higher in life and become more, to maximize your potential, to do so you need to find your WHY your purpose and passion that is within your dreams and go for it. Here is some practical advice from Maxwell:

•  Take out a pen and paper and take some time to write out and search out answers to these three questions:   
• What do you cry about? 
• What do you sing about?  
• What do you dream about? 
•  Also,  select one word that describes you. In this way you can focus on the single word or gift. “What the individual focuses on expands” (Maxwell, 102).

Figuring out your WHY is a fun process. When you have your dream and your WHY it should fill you with passion, energy, purpose and confidence: especially PASSION!  

Make a difference, in the comments below by sharing with us what your WHY is today. Your ideas can really help others! 

Closing Quote: “Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for out having passed through it” (Rabbi Harold Kushner).

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