The “Power of Purpose” for our health and success in life, a new reminder…

Theodore Roosevelt said: “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Aesop said: “Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.”

And likely our current day “expert” on purpose, Richard Leider said (and says!) “The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.”

These are but a few quotes of many from leaders, philosophers, and average people espousing the importance of purpose.

Why did and do so many write about it?

Well, it seems to me that achieving “purpose” in life is a little like losing weight for most of us: we know we will be healthier if we do it, we have tried to do it MANY times, but it seems to continue to elude us. Then, we are reminded of our inadequacy because some person in the direst of circumstances achieves it.

Many of you know about Viktor Frankl, the author of Man’s search for Meaning….written as he survived in concentration camps in World War II. For those of you who are not familiar with Viktor’s story, Man’s Search for Meaning is likely the world’s best simplest and most poignant books about “purpose” in our lives. He wrote the book and sewed it into his clothing so that it would not be found by the Nazis. Then he wrote it quickly once the war ended and he was freed.

Viktor’s observation is that even in inconceivably horrible circumstances, some concentration camp prisoners survived….in fact they LIVED….lived to give tribute to others who did not, lived to build lives beyond the horror their experience, and in some cases, lived to rejoin life with friends and family. He wonderfully theorizes about and provides proof of the importance of purpose/meaning as the major factor for Holocaust survivors.

It really is a great book if you have not read it….and it is NOT very long…so for those of you who are “airplane ride” readers, this would be a perfect book to take on your next trip.

I was reminded of a more modern day example recently.

In March the DVF Awards honored 4 women who embody the spirit of Dian Von Furstenberg’s mother, a holocaust survivor who “refused to be a victim”.

This year, one of the honorees was Ingrid Betancourt, the French-Colombian presidential candidate who spent 6 and a half years in captivity in the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.

How did she survive and LIVE? Betancourt speaks powerfully about her time in captivity and how thoughts of family carried her through.

Her quote: “There is something no one can take away from you. It’s the freedom to be who you want to be.”

So, it comes back to choices, doesn’t it?

How do I choose to live my life on a daily basis?

Will I choose to be a victim or a survivor?

Will I choose to get off that “hamster wheel” I have let myself get caught up on….to take time to consider how I want to live the rest of my life?…..perhaps seeking a greater amount of “purposeful” work for myself???

Well, if you want to read another terrific book to help you ponder “purpose”, Richard has just updated and rewritten his landmark book The Power of Purpose. The original version was a huge bestseller and was translated into many languages.

The new version is even MORE terrific than the first….it that is even possible!!

Here are handy links to both books I mentioned here  if you want to check them out! (The Power of Purpose is available in electronic as well as paper formats!)

Have a great day!

Barb