Once you uncover your mission it'll seem like you struck gold because it'll fit like a glove. From that moment on you will be able to ignite enthusiasm for what ever it is you desire to accomplish with a gentle reminder rather than a force of will.
Every Superhero has a mission and so do you. But most of us, like myself, have been unaware of it. For years I have been sailing along on the sea of life, going with the flow and enjoying the ride. The Coast Guard taught me to NEVER swim against the current, no matter how great the temptation. I have found that applying this advice to my day to day affairs tends to not just guarantee survival but happiness and success as well. The ability to let go and trust that there is a benevolent order to the universe isn't easy. It takes a helluva lot of courage and faith to believe in a universe that is on your side. But I am convinced the exercise in faith is worth it. Going back over my life it is clear now that every great and sustainable experience I have had came to me as a direct result of just going along with the flow. It's also clear that I would have missed some of my most cherished moments if I had forced my own way at the time. Thank God I swam with the current and not against it.
In spite of all this there has always been one nagging problem; I often lacked the drive to act on many of my creative desires. Why at times did I find it so hard to nudge myself forward in order to follow through on what I felt inspired to do? Like drawing a new cartoon, volunteering to speak for a group, or writing an article? Even with the knowledge that doing so would ultimately bring me great satisfaction, I'd be reluctant to take action. Well, now I know the answer - I've been ignorant of my mission. Without being conscious of my mission the motivation to follow through on any creative endeavor took EFFORT, a force of will. The problem is this effort sapped all the enjoyment out of it. What was at first an exciting creative pursuit quickly began to feel like a chore. The good news is; now fully aware of my mission I can take action without the burden of "I should," "I better," "I must," or worse, giving up before starting with, "Why bother, what's the point?" I do this by simply reminding myself of my (recently uncovered) mission. It gives me the lift I need to move forward with ease. Before I reveal my mission let me quickly share how I discovered it.
Within the last few months two of my friends Sage Michael and Larry Broughton have both authored books that highlight the importance of clearly defining your mission. Sage Michael's new book is titled, "How to Become a Superhero - The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate You!" and Larry Broughton's with co-author Phil Dyer, is titled, "Victory - 7 Entrepreneur Success Strategies for Veterans." Both point out that being able to clearly define your mission will dramatically affect your life. In Larry Broughton's and co-author Phil Dyer's, "Victory" they share that being clear about your mission (what they refer to as "vision") "...provides you with the fuel you need to move forward." and "... motivates you to keep going forward." Sage Michael points out that being unaware of your mission leads to getting off track, or worse, getting tangled up in the details. As Sage puts it, a well defined mission statement "helps you decide how to act, what to do, and even what to say, in any situation. This is pure truth. As a Superhero your main function is to act in pursuit of your ideals." I give credit to both books for inspiring me to finally put forth the effort to uncover mine. I was able to do so by reviewing all the times I was the happiest throughout my life and asking myself in each situation, "What was I doing and why?" This revealed what really motivated me. I was able to narrow it down to the specific driving force that brought me the most happiness and with that, success. So now when I start to falter and ask myself, "Why bother, what's the point?" I have the answer; "Because it's my mission to use every ounce of my talents; inspiring others to rise!"
In spite of all this there has always been one nagging problem; I often lacked the drive to act on many of my creative desires. Why at times did I find it so hard to nudge myself forward in order to follow through on what I felt inspired to do? Like drawing a new cartoon, volunteering to speak for a group, or writing an article? Even with the knowledge that doing so would ultimately bring me great satisfaction, I'd be reluctant to take action. Well, now I know the answer - I've been ignorant of my mission. Without being conscious of my mission the motivation to follow through on any creative endeavor took EFFORT, a force of will. The problem is this effort sapped all the enjoyment out of it. What was at first an exciting creative pursuit quickly began to feel like a chore. The good news is; now fully aware of my mission I can take action without the burden of "I should," "I better," "I must," or worse, giving up before starting with, "Why bother, what's the point?" I do this by simply reminding myself of my (recently uncovered) mission. It gives me the lift I need to move forward with ease. Before I reveal my mission let me quickly share how I discovered it.
Within the last few months two of my friends Sage Michael and Larry Broughton have both authored books that highlight the importance of clearly defining your mission. Sage Michael's new book is titled, "How to Become a Superhero - The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate You!" and Larry Broughton's with co-author Phil Dyer, is titled, "Victory - 7 Entrepreneur Success Strategies for Veterans." Both point out that being able to clearly define your mission will dramatically affect your life. In Larry Broughton's and co-author Phil Dyer's, "Victory" they share that being clear about your mission (what they refer to as "vision") "...provides you with the fuel you need to move forward." and "... motivates you to keep going forward." Sage Michael points out that being unaware of your mission leads to getting off track, or worse, getting tangled up in the details. As Sage puts it, a well defined mission statement "helps you decide how to act, what to do, and even what to say, in any situation. This is pure truth. As a Superhero your main function is to act in pursuit of your ideals." I give credit to both books for inspiring me to finally put forth the effort to uncover mine. I was able to do so by reviewing all the times I was the happiest throughout my life and asking myself in each situation, "What was I doing and why?" This revealed what really motivated me. I was able to narrow it down to the specific driving force that brought me the most happiness and with that, success. So now when I start to falter and ask myself, "Why bother, what's the point?" I have the answer; "Because it's my mission to use every ounce of my talents; inspiring others to rise!"
Once you uncover your mission it'll seem like you struck gold and it'll fit like a glove. What I am trying to say is, if you retrace your life you will see that you have been living by your mission all along. It is and always has been the guiding force of good that generally directed your actions. The key to harnessing its full potential though is to be able to clearly state it for yourself. When you can do that you will be able to ignite your enthusiasm at any time with a gentle reminder rather than a force of will. Both books, "Victory" and "How to Become a Superhero" give excellent examples on how to uncover your mission and clearly define it for yourself.
In addition to mine, here are a few more examples of clearly defined missions.
"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."
- Nike founder Phil Knight
"To make people happy."
- Walt Disney Company
"To preserve Truth, Justice and the American way."
- Superman
Once you feel you have uncovered your mission try it out by subjecting it to Sage Michael's mission statement test.
In addition to mine, here are a few more examples of clearly defined missions.
"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."
- Nike founder Phil Knight
"To make people happy."
- Walt Disney Company
"To preserve Truth, Justice and the American way."
- Superman
Once you feel you have uncovered your mission try it out by subjecting it to Sage Michael's mission statement test.
THE MISSION STATEMENT TEST
Say your mission statement aloud. How does it feel? Does it suit you? Does it call you to action? Is it a solid direction for your future? Does it give you an idea of what to do next, both at work and at home?
- Sage Michael, "How to Become a Superhero"
"If only you can find out the thing God intends you to do, and will do it, you will find that all doors will open to you, and you will be gloriously happy."
-Emmet Fox
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