April 2010 Newsletter: Purpose Life's Driving Force

If you're waking up each morning on fire, feeling called to great service and devoted to an inspiring purpose, vision, and mission, no doubt you feel as if work isn't work at all: It's a kind of play with monetary benefits. On the other hand, if you turn back the covers each morning and groan, "Oh man, I wish I could just stay in bed," and dread your 9-to-5 (or whatever hours you keep) work, then surely you feel as if your job is a 'burden' and a 'necessary evil.'

Some people feel a draw to serve in a particular way. They feel that this is what they were meant to do, and this particular profession is their raison d'être-their purpose here on Earth. These people still have all kinds of ups and downs in their work: They perceive 'successes' and 'failures,' feel 'happy' and 'sad,' experience 'contentment' and 'frustration,' and so on-just like everyone else. The difference is that those who are called to their work feel a kind of 'fit' to their profession; it's what Buddhists call 'right livelihood'-making a living in such a way that benefits both oneself and others.

If you're not having this kind of experience yet and would love to, it's time to get in touch with your true vocation . . . your calling.

A sense of calling isn't limited to those who hear it strongly right from the start. Sometimes you have to look for subtler clues: The child who referred to bugs, lizards, and caterpillars she'd collected as 'my little friends' might be called to veterinary medicine; the one who lost herself in books might find her vocation in writing, and so on.

Your calling can be amplified by applying some time and attention to it. If you're not already feeling 'called' to your profession, you can look at other areas of your life, both at the present time and in the past, when you've felt uplifted and inspired in some way by something.

But what if after looking back and looking around you, you don't see a pattern yet? What if you can't identify the times in your past when you felt as if you were in your element, doing what you were meant to do? Here's help.

Show yourself the money

You might start with the question: If I were to give you $5 million right now, what would you do with your life? Be honest. What makes your heart beat faster? What brings a tear to your eye?

Ultimately, this exercise is about being true to yourself. A business is like a body: It gives you signs and symptoms to help guide you to your truth. If your current position, profession, or line of business feels 'dysfunctional' or 'diseased,' take this as a clear signal that it's time to reconnect with the truth of who you really are. What a treasure it is to be able to read those signs and symptoms and take action! Just as in your physical body, your business, your relationships, your social network-anywhere you engage with the world-gives you feedback to be true to yourself.

It is all about values. Everyone has a set of values, or things that are important to them, which we can determine by observing the actions we take. Values are like fingerprints. No two people have the same set of values and no one's values are right or wrong. What is most important to you is where you will be most focused, structured, energetic and interested.

Your purpose is driven by your values. When you recognize and take action according to your values, you will expand and empower your life and find a way to make an income aligned with your purpose.

How do I discover my values?

You can discover what drives you by going through the '12 value determinants'. This is a series of carefully constructed questions that reveal what a person truly values.
In answering them, you will see a pattern forming. Then you need to distil your answers to find out what came up most, second most, third most and so on until you have compiled a hierarchy of about ten values. Number one on your list is what is highest on your values, the thing that is most important to you, and number ten will generally get less of your attention. Our voids (things we perceive to be missing from our lives) give rise to our values. Analyse what you value and you will see it is what you most perceive missing, or out of order, in your life. For example, if you perceive you are missing money, then building wealth will appear high up on your values, if you perceive you don't have parenting skills you will seek information on parenting.
You will recognise your highest values because there are no ‘shoulds' about doing them. You don't need outside motivation to achieve them and you can always find energy to do them. This is because when it is what you truly value, you are inspired from within to do. You only need outside motivation when the goals you set come from a ‘should', or if they're goals that are low on your list of values or priorities.
Take the first step in fulfilling your purpose.

6 of the 12 Demartini Method Value Determinants questions are:
1. What do you fill your space with (home and office)?
2. How do you spend your time?
3. How do you spend your energy?
4. What do you spend your money on?
5. Where are you most organized?
6. Where are you most disciplined and reliable?

To answer the remaining 6 questions, and find out how to utilize the 12 Demartini Method Value Determinants, click here, and download the Demartini Value Determination Form.

What if I want to make a significant impact in this world?

You're unlikely to make a great difference in your family until you have vision as big as your community or city. You're unlikely to make a difference in your city until you have a vision as big as your state. You're unlikely to make a difference in your state until you have a vision as big as your nation. You're unlikely to make a difference in your nation until you have a vision as big as the globe

The greater your vision and the greater your sphere of awareness and presence the greater your business influence will potentially be. When you are grateful and become present and inspired your sphere of influence expands.

The greater your vision the greater the challenges you can manage and the greater the results you can obtain.

Love and Wisdom
Dr. John Demartini