What if I told you that your purpose in life may or may not be tied directly to the construction business you own?
The paradox of spending time, struggling, searching, finding, and then living your life purpose is that it isn’t about you; yet, without you, your life purpose won’t be fulfilled. Yeah, sit in that enigma for a moment.
Living your life purpose will take, well, yeah, a lifetime. It is a journey, not a destination.
Living Without Purpose
Without purpose, many find themselves depressed, worried, stressed or burned out. Those without purpose can go so far as to become confused, bitter, jealous, or angry. They may pursue dreams but can’t seem to align their actions with their passion.
You’ve probably already met people who (as my dad would have said) “feel like their only purpose in life is to make others miserable.” Luckily, that’s not the norm.
Still, there are others who tend to wade through life, never finding fulfillment or the comfort of knowing they’re doing something worthwhile and of value.
Consider the Word “Purpose”
If you do something on purpose, you do it intentionally, not by accident – even though sometimes accidents or life circumstances will allow you to gain better insight and focus more on your purpose.
What Your Purpose Is Not
Don’t mistake your purpose for what you do rather than who you serve.
It’s not about your career or position.
You won’t find it in your title, such as “parent,” “employee,” or “boss.”
It can’t be condensed into a to-do list.
It’s not about your education (or lack thereof.)
It won’t be found in what other people expect of you.
It’s not limited by what you’ve already experienced.
It’s not restricted by how little or how much money you make.
To clarify, it’s not about power, pleasure, wealth, intellect, recognition, fame, or social status. It’s NOT about what you receive. It’s about what you give.
Note: It might be that what you do (like owning a construction contracting business) is a way to live out your purpose. Or what you do could be a way to pay the bills while you live out your purpose after hours.
Knowing Your Life Purpose is Powerful
Remember that paradox mentioned above – it isn’t about you; yet, without you, your life purpose won’t be fulfilled. You have a unique role to play in your community.
It allows you to give something only you can.
Your decisions are easier to make because your purpose guides you.
It bolsters your ability to have hope for the future.
It gives you satisfaction when you must deal with mundane tasks that you don’t necessarily enjoy.
It gives you courage and the willingness to take risks.
Understanding Your Purpose
Your life purpose is personal and can evolve or change during different seasons of your life.
It includes your vision, core values, and passions.
It is like a GPS guiding you in the right direction.
It allows you to maximize your skills, talents, and strengths.
It grants you the ability to be proactive rather than reactive.
It lets you clear unnecessary mental clutter from your life, thus reducing stress.
“Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before.” – C.S. Lewis
Categories of Life Purpose
When you look at people who are leading their lives purposefully, you’ll notice that while there are a multitude of purposes, they generally fall into a few basic categories. For example:
Leading people or organizations.
Teaching individuals or groups.
Promoting causes or communities.
Encouraging one or many.
Protecting, Comforting, and Nurturing others.
Those categories are wide-sweeping; they encompass much more than what might initially be perceived. And they shouldn’t be confused with titles. For example, while many who hold the title of teacher have a life purpose based on teaching, some professional teachers aren’t all that good at teaching – and you know how that turns out.
Ways to Find Your Purpose
If you haven’t yet discovered your life purpose, it will likely take some self-examination. Here are some ways to begin that discovery.
Pay attention to what makes you happy.
Think about what you naturally gravitate toward.
Ask those you can trust what you’re good at doing for others.
Seek guidance by asking your spiritual leader.
When someone notices or comments on one of your talents, take note.
Consider what you can give, such as time, money, or experience.
Contemplate the areas in which you would like to grow.
Listen to your dissatisfaction.
Examine how you feel when you see or hear of the wrongs done to others.
Ask yourself what you’re willing (maybe anxious) to learn more about.
Look for ways your gifts meet your passions.
Actively search for ways to help individuals, your community, or causes.
Reexamine the sample categories of life purpose listed above to see where you best fit.
Examples of People Who Found Their Purpose
Unsurprisingly, many famous people can be included in a list of those who found their purpose. Some have so rocked their purpose that other (also famous people) seem to have been named after them. Some examples include from the Biblical Abraham to Abraham Lincoln, from Martin Luther to Martin Luther King Jr., and from George Washington to George Washington Carver.
Other purpose-driven famous people who come to mind are Mother Teresa, Winston Churchill, Dolly Parton, Billy Graham, J.C. Penney, Corrie Ten Boom, Dr. David Livingston, Lottie Moon, Thomas Jefferson, Levi Strauss, Ty Pennington, and Alice Cooper. These folks have come from all walks of life, lived in various periods, and found ways to live their purpose within or outside their chosen professions.
Other (not so famous) people I’ve known who have found their purpose include my cousin, Tammy Thomas, my friends Cody and Lori Deevers, and my daughter (and boss) Tonya Schulte. I could name many more, but you get the idea.
It probably won’t take a lot of digging on your part to think of or recall people in your life who give their time, money, or attention to the people, organizations, or causes that are important to them because they’ve found their purpose.
Living Your Life On Purpose
Living a purpose-driven life does not mean there won’t be problems, obstacles, or difficulties to overcome. But it does mean you’ll experience more satisfaction, delight, and contentment while overcoming them.
Ultimately, it’s not enough just to know your purpose; you must embrace that purpose, even when it is hard.
“And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 8:15 (emphasis added)
Purpose Examples Coming Up
In the second part of this two-part series, there are examples of real people living their real lives with real purpose.
Ambitious Construction Contractors look to The Profit Constructors to provide advocacy in dealing with:
Clients and customers
Employees and subcontractors
Vendors and service providers
Governmental entities
Working with The Profit Constructors gives Construction Contractors the means to organize their operations in ways that help them:
Remain informed
Avoid hassles
Reduce risks
Be future-ready
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