24. Fit For Purpose
We are all designed differently to perfectly fit our purpose.
We all have desires and talents to use and develop that will give us our own, unique purpose in life. At different times and different stages in our lives, that purpose may change. Having a purpose or a goal helps us know where we are going in life and helps us work out what to do to get there.
Our habits will help build who we are. Developing and building a system of 'healthy' habits and routines will shape us into who we want to be. We can start by working on small achievable changes to be more effective, instead of starting out by setting big goals which can be daunting and often unachievable. Every single day, take one small step that moves you in the direction of your purpose. Write down your goal and break it down into smaller goals and then even further into small, actionable steps.
When we have a goal and work on it, it works on us to change and develop us. We become better people in the challenge of pursuing our goals.
Do we have goals? Can we write them down in a sentence or two? Is the goal worth persevering for? Are the goals worth giving our time, our effort and the price to achieve them?
Dopamine is the brain chemical that ensures we achieve our goals. Dopamine is why it is important to write our goals down. When they are achieved and we cross them off, no matter how small, we get a burst of dopamine. Dopamine is why having a vision is so important and why measurable milestones or goals are necessary. If we feel we are making progress toward our vision, we keep going forward because dopamine motivates us.
We can learn how to harness our own reward systems by finding out what motivates us and our children. The act of seeking and finding activates our reward circuits. Learn to enjoy the quest of setting both long-term and short-term goals and taking small steps toward them every day. Challenge yourself. Even to simply drive home from work a different way every day, preferably without the use of your GPS, will boost dopamine. Working on a goal without fail for 45 days will train your brain to stimulate dopamine production in a new way.
Sadly, 50% of people around us have no idea where they are going. Another 40% will go wherever they are led. The 10% left know where they are going, but fewer than half of them will be prepared to pay the cost of getting there.
"An orchestra can play a great symphony when all of the different instruments play their individual parts and combine as one sound. Just as all of the instruments look and sound different, so it is with human beings. We all have unique gifts to bring to a group, just as all of the above vehicles are designed to fit their purpose."