Find your purpose. Fulfill your purpose. Have you struggled to accomplish these goals?
I know I have. And despite my best efforts, I’ve never felt entirely clear about my purpose or how to fulfill it. (And I write, speak and coach about purpose often.)
I’ve often thought my purpose was to write and, in the process, inspire my readers and transform their lives. But that seemed trite. It never felt right, even though I sometimes feel I fulfill it.
This past weekend, however, I found my purpose—and yours. And I now know how we can, indeed, fulfill them.
Oh, the Places You Go and the People You Meet
Last weekend I spoke at a writer’s conference in Los Angeles focused on fiction writing, even though this is not my specialty. I’m a nonfiction writing and publishing expert, but I offered two sessions pertinent to writers in any genre. One was inspirational and the other business oriented.
During the business-oriented program, I noticed a man sitting near the front of the room. He seemed quite interested in what I was saying, and he had what I call “good energy.” I felt great every time I looked at him.
After the talk, he came up to speak to me and told me how much he had enjoyed my presentation. He then asked if I would like a copy of his book.
Attendees at my talks often give me books, which I then have to lug home in my bag. I don’t end up having the time or interest to read many of them, so I’m typically cautious about saying yes to such an offer.
However, I looked at the title of this one…and made him wait while I also read the subtitle…and I agreed. I wasn’t sure exactly why…other than that the subject—purpose—interested me.
The book was called You are the Answer: Discovering and Fulfilling Your Soul’s Purpose by Michael J. Tamura.
The author took the time to sign the book for me, but I didn’t look at the inscription or book closely until I returned home. Then, I opened it and found a personal message to me.
I began to read.
And I got out a highlighter.
I continued reading and highlighting…
With my busy schedule, it takes a lot to interest me in a book. I probably have five books started and not finished at any given time. But I was a third of the way through the book after two short reading stints…and I can’t wait to continue reading.
This post is not a book review, although I highly recommend you purchase a copy of You are the Answer! I want to share what I learned in its first few pages.
Stop Searching for Your Purpose
In the first chapter of You Are the Answer, Michael wrote something that blew me away.
We all have the same purpose for being here: to realize, through fully incarnating as a being, all that is God.
Additionally, he explained:
This is the journey of the soul we call Life. To be who we are, to have all that is within us and to fully express our divine heritage—that is the purpose for living and the destination of our journey.
I had to stop and reread those statements several times. Then I got it.
Just Become Your Best Self
We have all been searching for some grand purpose for our lives. And we can stop searching right now.
My purpose…your purpose…is simple. Be your best self.
That’s it. Be the fullest expression of you possible.
Fulfill your human and spiritual potential to the best of your ability.
Sounds simple enough. I know it’s not.
But, damn, if that definition of purpose didn’t stop me in my tracks.
Knowing that I was born to be myself and to express that authentic self to the best of my ability in the time I have on Earth allows me to focus on achieving that goal—not on searching for what the heck I’m meant to do in this lifetime.
While You are Here…
As for the stuff you do while you are a spiritual being in a physical body—a human on the earth plane… I write, speak and coach. Maybe you help small businesses with their financial accounting, or you work as a CEO, a pro football player, or a stay-at-home mom.
Those jobs, careers, labels, activities do not represent your purpose. They are an expression of who you are and what you do in your human body.
They are part of how you express your best self—through your talents, passions, and skills. You can make the most of them, but they aren’t why you are here.
Your life is about expressing yourself as fully as possible.
Inspired to be Me
I don’t know about you, but this new understanding of purpose inspired me…and gave me the freedom..to be myself. That was exciting in and of itself!
Of course, I’m passionate about personal development. I want to find ways to become my best self, and I want to help others do the same.
To know I can fulfill my purpose by continuing to work on my personal growth in after to be the best version of me allows me to stop worrying about finding my purpose—and to live that purpose instead.
And if I can help a few others do the same along the way, that’s even better.
Do you agree with the definition of purpose I shared in this blog post?
Are you tired of trying to become your best self?
Do you feel as if you never quite measure up…even to your own standards or expectation?
Do you struggle to find your authentic self…who you really are?
Do you sense that you are wandering through life without a sense of purpose or direction?
Give me just one hour of your time…
I promise you’ll come away with new strategies to help you get in the game, strategies you can implement immediately so you begin doing rather than waiting for the results you want so badly.
Ready to learn how to focus? Follow these three steps:
- Click here to download an application for a FREE Certified High Performance strategy session.
- Email the application to Nina@ninaamir.com.
- Schedule your session here.
It’s your time…to achieve your goals, become your best self, and live your dream.
Photo copyright: Igeralt / Pixabay.com and Wokandapix / Pixabay.com
I’m so glad you met up with Michael. He has been my spiritual teacher for over 20 years and has led me to inner peace and no longer searching for answers. I feel truly blessed to be able to attend his seminars and I’m so glad you’ve made a connection with him. Enjoy the journey!
He is fabulous. So lucky for you to have learned from him in person, Susan.
I am curious about the niche of being a publishing expert but then reading in the above bio that 12 out of 14 books noted are self-published. Anyone can self-publish — and those books, as we all too often see, are rarely “publishable” by an actual publishing company. It is also far easier than shopping your book. I have had two books published by brick and mortar trade publishers. Self-publishing is tempting — being published by a real publisher is far better.
When I read about workshops that focusing on writing for publication and for sales, I am disappointed. Ah for the days when a true writer, an artist, wrote because they must write. When writers wrote for their art and soul. When publication was nice, but not the motivation. When sales were great, but not the motivation. Which is precisely why there is so much junk out there now — and nowhere is that more evident than in the self-help genre.
I also think that no writer worth their salt, no REAL writer, would be wasting precious time for writing going to workshops or writers groups and talking, endlessly talking ABOUT writing, instead of writing. These seminars, conferences, workshops — are a distraction for any real writer. A real writer doesn’t need them. Wannabe writers need them, endlessly. Don’t talk about writing. Write. You’ve either got it or you don’t. A Writer’s Conference is not going to make a writer out of anyone. And with the ease of self-publishing, a real writer is free to write and publish endless.
Blog to a book? Shudder the thought. Blogs are not “writing”. Blogs are like journals, only people fail to understand the world doesn’t need their “thoughts”.
If you are a writer, write. Then shop it. You can find out how to do that far more easily and cheaply than attending one of these conferences with people making a living talking about writing when all they’ve done is publish a book about — how to publish a book. And the rest of their books are self-published anyway.
What you are doing, Nina, unfortunately, qualifies as scamming. Go write a book, for goodness sake. Now a how-to article. An actual book worth reading. It is laughable you “don’t have time to read” the books of others. All writers worth their sale READ and read extensively. As any novelist. Not a junk “how-to” author. Sheesh.
Shanti,
I have three traditionally published books–all Amazon bestsellers. I have 17 other books–self-published–seven of which are Amazon bestsellers. I love being a “hybrid” writer who takes advantage of all the publishing avenues available.
It’s true that anyone can self-publish. Not everyone can do it well or write something worth reading or that their target market needs and wants.
Traditionally publishing is not “better” for everyone. It’s a choice. And in some cases, it can be the best choice for a particular writer and his/her goals.
Writing a book with the intention of it “selling” is equivalent to writing to be read. If your book does not sell, it won’t be read and your message won’t be heard. Why go to all the trouble of writing and publishing if your work never gets in the hands of your target readers?
I disagree about conference, classes and workshops. It’s a chance to learn. If you are not learning and growing, you are dying…and you are writing in isolation. You must get out of your bubble and know what is happening in your industry. And connecting with other writers can fuel creativity and help you know you are on the right path.
It’s true, a writer is free to publish endlessly if they go the indie route. I’m not sure why you bring up that point, especially since you began your comment saying self-publishing was the “better” route to take.
You obviously don’t understand blogs. They are no longer journals or streams of consciousness put out into Cyberspace. They are valuable assets for their owners and sources of fabulous and beneficial information for their readers.
And blogging IS writing. If it wasn’t, the posts would be devoid of words.
If blogging a book is such a bad idea, my book, How to Blog a Book, would not have been published by the top publisher of writing books, nor would it have been a bestseller for 2.5 years (first edition) or gone into a second edition and again become a bestseller.
Publishers seek out bloggers. Their successful blogs are proof of the market for a book on the topic–and the content is, in many cases, readily available on their blogs. Many successful books have begun on blogs.
I am in no way scamming anyone, Shanti.
And I do read…a lot. Just not every book given to me. I pick and choose the books I read so I advance myself and my work.
I’m sorry you have such a low opinion of me and my work. I suggest you read some other blog…or stop reading them at all since you think they are worthless. Just focus on your writing.
Good responde Nina. I wonder why someone would take the time away from their “real” writing work to go around and read blogs they don’t respect and criticize the writers and readers of those blogs and their ideas. Whats the motivation there? yesh I know and it’s laughable.
Not sure…Stay on purpose!
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