I am blessed to have lived for forty years. During that time I’ve seen and done quite a bit. I’ve traveled, gotten married and am now raising two amazing children with my wife. Life is like a vapor. Before you know it, decades have surpassed you. This is why it is important to enjoy the journey. Along that journey you will experience many things and learn some valuable lessons.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each of us to maximize our effectiveness each and every day in the pursuit of fulfilling our purpose in life. This was not always apparent to me, but now that it is, I want to share some thoughts that may help others avoid mistakes on their journey. While not comprehensive, here are four key lessons I have learned in my first forty years.
Time Is A Necessary Component
We want things to come instantly. This generation seems to have little appreciation for delayed gratification. However, delay often benefits us more than we realize in the moment. Having the dream job and money in the bank too young may rob you of the lessons that can only be gained through hard work or trial and error. It may even cause you to become stagnant in a job while your purpose remains on hold.
Sometimes the reasons why something occurred do not become apparent until months or years later. It is only then that you can accurately connect the dots. Sometimes the quality of the questions we ask determines the answers we receive. Click To Tweet The question we need to ask is, what does your past tell you about your future? Maybe nothing or maybe everything. After reading this and pondering the implications, hopefully you can connect the dots of your life – whether they seem momentous or minuscule.
Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
A few years ago, at a corporate conference, I had the opportunity to hear a great keynote speech on integrity. The gentleman’s name was Alex Sheen and the non-profit he started was Because I Said I Would. His organization is an “international social movement and nonprofit dedicated to the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept.”
I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard the words, “I promise …,” “I guarantee it,” or “I’ve got you. Don’t worry!” I’ve learned that nothing is done until it’s done! Talking about a contract is not the same as signing one. A promise of payment is not the same as payment being rendered. Planning for the future and actualizing that future are vastly different. I’ve learned to be cautiously optimistic when promises are made, especially if it’s by someone that I haven’t dealt with previously. Therefore, I advise you to go forward boldly, but not blindly.
Your Circle Largely Determines Your Destiny
I wish I had the circle I have now when I was in my twenties. I probably would have made a lot less mistakes and cost myself a lot less time, money and heartache. But, you live and learn. This reality makes choosing friends an activity that should not be taken lightly. We all need encouragement, accountability, and acceptance. However, being accepted by people that won’t encourage or hold you accountable is a recipe for disaster.
In order to fulfill your purpose, you will need ideas that only others possess and skills that only others enjoy. Therefore, in order to complete your assignment you will need to have a mentality of “us” and not “me.” Self-made is a term rooted in falsehood and sometimes arrogance. We are able to fulfill our purpose in life when we realize one very important truth – no one reaches his or her destiny without the help of others.
Purpose Infuses Meaning Into Life
Dr. Myles Munroe said, “when purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.” If you don’t know the purpose for which you were created, you will at some point abuse your life. I am speaking from experience. Not knowing my purpose or that I even had one led me to abuse drugs and alcohol and thereby my life. I almost aborted my purpose. In the end, giving birth to my purpose saved my life.
If you are living without purpose, you’re just breathing to death. A purpose driven life prevents passionless living. Click To Tweet Many of us spend too much time suppressing our natural God-given desires in lieu of a guaranteed paycheck and mediocre benefits. Fulfillment in life is the result of aligning our actions with the thoughts that were in the mind of our Creator when He designed us.
Here’s To 40 More!
Your past can help you to discover your future. A faithful focus on the future is preempted by a proper perspective on the past. The experiences you have had are often necessary to produce the man or woman you have become or are becoming. If you’ve had a difficult past, don’t disregard your past, just redefine it.
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