20 Steps to a Meaningful Life

By Herm Allen

Build Your Steps

A life that is meaningful and fulfilling can be yours. All it takes is a little self-knowledge, a plan and some hard work. The work however doesn't seem as difficult if you are doing what makes you happy and allows you to be fulfilled.

Below is a twenty-step plan that will set you on your path to a life of fulfillment. Taking the time to follow this plan step by step will help you reach the life you want a lot quicker than just allowing life to take you where it will. Take a deep breath and get started.

Step 1: Find a purpose for your life.

Step 2: Figure out what bothers you most about the world and do something about it.

Step 3: Determine what is most important to you.

Step 4: Align your new goals around what is most important.

Step 5: Have a healthy perspective of yourself.

Step 6: Replace old beliefs that are no longer useful to you.

Step 7: Create new possibilities for your life.

Step 8: Figure out who you want to be when you grow up.

Step 9: Practice living the life you want now.

Step 10: Figure out what you are passionate about.

Step 11: Align your abilities and your interests.

Step 12: What would a perfect vocational day be for you?

Step 13: Write your autobiography five years from today.

Step 14: Downscale your lifestyle now to create the opportunities that you seek.

Step 15: Strengthen your relationships and support systems.

Step 16: Grow strong emotionally

Step 17: Give yourself permission to follow your heart.

Step 18: Laugh a lot and enjoy the ride

Step 19: Live with integrity as a path towards an authentic life.

Step 20: Eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep.

But most of all...TRUST GOD!

What is Purpose? Day Five

Well, here we are...the final day in this series on 'Purpose.' Of course this is a topic that I could speak on for an entire month however, my desire was just to encourage you to see how 'Purpose' is working in your life.

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Side Note:
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If you would like to explore this topic in more detail, I am willing to offer a complimentary consultation. To receive an email consult, send your question/issue with purpose to coaching@hermallencoaching.net. Once I receive your message, I will provide you with a personal response.

Now on to today's post.

In order for you to know what your purpose is, you must consult with the Creator of purpose. To discover how to live with purpose we must return to God, who is the Author of Purpose.

As we are all created for a purpose, it is only fitting that we "ask" our Creator what was purposed specifically for our life. Nothing on this earth was created without a purpose...mosquitoes, whales, plants, trees, and as important you and I.

One way to discover your purpose is to spend some quiet time with the Creator and ask, "What purpose is my life to fulfill with the time you have allotted me on this side?" Then, sit still and listen for the answer. You may be closer to finding your purpose than you think.

I truly hope you enjoyed this series. Now go and fulfill your purpose!

For your complimentary consult, send your question to: coaching@hermallencoaching.net.

Herm
Helping You Reach Your Peak

What is Purpose? Day Four

Purpose permits a view of life that looks beyond the apparent surroundings and the obvious pitfalls.

When you are living in your purpose, it doesn't matter what is going on around you because purpose creates focus; and with this type of focus, there is no time to allow other matters to distract you.

For example, Jesus came with a purpose to fulfill and He did not allow His surroundings to keep Him from fulfilling that purpose. However, don't be naive to think those distractions will not surface. If anything, as soon as you begin living in your purpose you'll probably encounter all kinds of obstacles.

The key in today's post is that "purpose permits a view of life that looks beyond..." To look beyond something means it exists in the first place, but purpose is the factor to not allow those obstacles, pitfalls, etc. to prevent you from fulfilling YOUR purpose.

Another way to put it was captured by Dr. Ben Carson's mother, who said,

"You got to see beyond what you can see."

Until we "meet" again.

Herm
Helping You Reach Your Peak

What is Purpose? Day Three

Welcome to day three of my series on 'Purpose.' I hope you have gotten something that you can apply to discovering and living your purpose. Today's post is an excerpt from an article I came across today.

The author (William Damon, Prof. of Education at Stanford University & the Director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence) is writing about purpose in general, however he has done extensive research on purpose as it relates to adolescents and young adults. Read the following excerpt with an open mind and I am interested in hearing your perspective.

"The road to hope, for both the individual and the society, can only be approached by the path to purpose. Purpose is required to fill the spiritual vacuum that leads to drift, apathy, cynicism, and nihilism. Purpose is needed to sustain the will to strive, achieve, contribute, and continue learning. Purpose provides resilience in hard times, elevation in good times, and confident aspiration all throughout life. It is the key to psychological survival for the individual, economic and civic survival for the society, and a state of thriving and well-being for both."

I look forward to your responses to the above quotation. Please feel free to be open and honest in your responses.

"See" you later.

Herm
Helping You Reach Your Peak

What is Purpose? Day Two

As you may well know, we are finite beings living in an infinite universe. In other words, at some point we will perish from this earth and return to the dust from whence we came.

However, fear not.

Time is always given for the completion of purpose.

That last statement is only true to those who seek and find what their true purpose is. There are many gifts and contributions to this "side" that are six feet under. For this reason, alone, is why it is critical that you find what your purpose is before leaving this world.

Don't waste your time on frivolous activities that neither contribute to yourself nor anyone else. Put another way, "He who has time to burn will never give the world much light. Killing time is not murder, it's suicide."

How many of you feel life (time) is passing by really fast? You probably feel that way because you are focusing on time and not on your purpose. When you are living out your purpose, there is no time to focus on time because your purpose is consuming, yet not of your time.

Let me leave you with this closing thought:

Killing is death before the completion of purpose. Dying is death after purpose has been fulfilled.

Until tomorrow, peace.

Herm
Helping You Reach Your Peak

What is Purpose? Day One

You are here living, breathing on this earth for a reason. Even though our "physical" time on earth is limited - YOU HAVE A PURPOSE TO FULFILL!

The following quotation exemplifies this:

"Your existence is evidence that this generation needs something that your life contains." ~ Myles Munroe

You may believe your life is only yours for the living and this is partly true; only you can live your life however, when you are living in your purpose, others will benefit from your life.

The longer it takes for you to find your purpose and begin living in that purpose...this generation will be missing out on your contribution. Take this to heart and begin your search for YOUR purpose.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post.

Herm
Helping You Reach Your Peak

What is Purpose? Series

My intent with this series is to expand your thinking on the topic of purpose and how it fits into your life. I also desire that you will engage in the dialogue and share your thoughts on how purpose is working (or should work) in your life.

To get you thinking, consider the following on what purpose is.

PURPOSE IS...

...the original intent for the creation of a thing,

...the original reason for the existence of a thing,

...the end for which means exist,

...the cause for the creation of a thing,

...the desired result that initiates production,

...the need that makes a manufacturer produce a a specific product,

...the destination that prompts the journey,

...the expectation of the source,

...the objective of the subject,

...the aspiration for the inspiration, and

...the object one wills or resolves to have.

That should be enough to get your wheels spinning. Feel free to share this and future posts.

"See" you next time.

Herm
"Helping You Reach Your Peak"