A fantastically long excerpt that gripped me so much, I just need to put it up on my own blog…for repeat-reading!
Somehow I found the means to cast aside the endless chatter of the thinking mind. To be fair, fear retained a foothold of precious real estate in my consciousness. But I found the wherewithal to nonetheless move forward in the face of it. And ignore the often unbearable social pressures relentlessly driving to derail me. I focused on the heart. I relied on faith. I got comfortable with the uncomfortable. I embraced the mystery of not knowing what the next day might bring. And at every turn, I focused on how I could be of service to others. Because there is gigantic, undeniable truth in the edict that when you give, you get back tenfold.
As a result, I have somehow persevered. Broken through into a new life. An impossible astounding life beyond what I previously thought possible. Today, I’m a bestselling author. An in-demand public speaker. A popular podcast host. An accomplished athlete. A respected wellness advocate. And over the last year I have been paid handsomely to travel to exotic places I never imagined I would ever lay eyes on, investing in service and experience. Creating a legacy. And yes, I remain a happily married family man. But more than anything, I am content. Comfortable in my own skin, with a deep knowing that I am exactly where I am meant to be.
I’m not saying this to brag. Nor to suggest that you ignore real world responsibilities. Only to share that the limits we impose upon ourselves are generally illusory. And driven primarily by fear. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of the unknown. Fear of discomfort. Fear of financial insecurity. Fear of what others might think. All told, fear of everything.
And fear is not your friend. Not now, not ever.
To be clear. I’m also not promising anyone that a heart-based life will result in financial reward or notoriety. Only that it will infuse your life with meaning and purpose. Happiness — not in a blissed out unicorns and rainbows sense — but rather a deep satisfaction that your life has value. A value that can be shared. Passed on as inspiration in service to others who feel impossibly stuck. Imprisoned by a life not of their choosing but compelled by circumstance; and the perils of the thinking mind — an organ wired to prioritize comfort, security and avoidance of fear and challenge over adventure and the depth of experience.
And so the question I pose is this: What are you doing with your life? And more importantly why are you doing it?
This is your call to action. Delve deep within. Do the internal work to embrace the child hidden deep inside — the child before your parents told you to be quiet and your teachers told you to sit down. Do whatever it takes to find and unlock that thing that makes your heart beat hardest. Then take the leap. Invest in experience. Unleash that inner artist cowering inside yearning to be expressed in whatever form compels you. Embrace the mystery and challenge of the untrodden path.
Then watch as a better, more authentic self begins to surface. Fertilize that sapling like your life depends upon it. Because it does.
I’m here to say it’s worth the journey. And at the end of the day, there is nothing but the journey. Because destination is pure illusion.
In the words of Mickey, do something worth remembering.
This is the art of living with purpose.
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