Resources
The following files are handouts from a seminar series called “Smart Stuff for Tough Times” which got rave reviews last year in San Francisco.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR $$$ MANAGEMENT IN TOUGH TIMES
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LIFE PURPOSE DISCOVERY PROCESS
This is the quickest explanation of the very simple Life Purpose Discovery process ever written. Guaranteed.
Your Life Purpose is the context within which the “stuff” in your life becomes empowered, meaningful and worthwhile. Purposeful living has the power to imbue even the most mundane of tasks with a sense of “right direction”.
From that place of empowered clarity, anything is possible.
This process has three parts, the Foundation Lists, the Winnowing, and the Naming. You’ll make 5 big lists. There will be obvious patterns of affinity and aversion throughout the five lists that will emerge as you continue to explore all categories. Those patterns will ultimately lead you to your Life Purpose.
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The Foundation Lists
The Foundation Lists you’re about to make will produce a large number of answers that will comprise your “road map to Purpose”. There are 5 different lists to be completed. For best results, do them in the order listed. For each topic, write down as many short answers that are true for you as you can think of. Lists of related words are better than essays, always.
If you find you’ve given a rather generic answer (love, family, nature), delve deeper into that answer and write down all the different things it means to you. For example, Family can mean a lot of things to people, both good and bad. Write all those things on the list it pertains to. In the first list of Responsibilities and Shoulds, family could mean need to make a living, or caring for your parents, or being a role model for your kids, etc. In Annoyances, family could also mean taken advantage of, or always around, no privacy In Pleasures, family could mean closeness or connections. Get really specific.
It’s really important not to edit or critique your answers as you list them. Just let them flow out of you naturally, and write them all down.
LIST 1: Responsibilities and Shoulds
LIST 2: Annoyances
LIST 3: Fears
LIST 4: Pleasures
LIST 5: Passions
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The Winnowing
Now that you’ve made these comprehensive lists, it’s time to examine them for patterns of affinity and aversion.
To do this, go through the lists and underline all the topically related items using a highlighter or colored pen. Make dots next to the answers that come up most frequently, as well.
On a clean piece of paper, write all the related answers from all your lists in groups on the page. You will probably find that some answers are in more than one group.
After you’ve grouped all your answers, examine each group of words and ideas. What does each group of words have in common within itself? Identify that common theme and write it above the group. Do this for each group of words until you’ve identified all the themes.
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The Naming
Now examine these themes. How are they interrelated? What concept or idea encapsulates all these themes into one global truth for you? Look for the areas of affinity between your themes.
Themes on this level are also known in many cases as your Grand Passions. Your Grand Passions are your Highest Self’s way of amplifying the impact of your Purpose in the world, but that’s another discussion for another time.
Your themes will all point to one overriding, global truth. That simple phrase will be your Life Purpose, the critical context of your Best Life.
WRITE YOUR LIFE PURPOSE STATEMENT DOWN
Make copies and signs of your unique Life Purpose statement and put it up all around you. Put it on your bathroom mirror, your rearview mirror, your fridge, your computer monitor. Text it to yourself. Let the highest truth of your individual life (AKA your Life Purpose) become the benchmark for your behavior, and watch in amazement at how successful and happy you naturally become. It happens fast, too.
There you have it, the quick and dirty overview explanation of how to find your own unique Life Purpose. I hope this has been of service and that you take your newfound awareness into your life and rock the world with it.
If you’d like more information and guidance through the Life Purpose Discovery process, you can buy my workbook, “Your Life on Purpose” from this website directly. For even faster results, you can arrange for a private Life Purpose Discovery session with me and absolutely know your Life Purpose in about 2 1/2 hours.
Whatever way you choose to go, do it on Purpose.
Life Purpose Works: We provide resources for self empowerment.
