The Power of Purpose

Have you ever set out to do something new and simply lost interest along the way? Whether it’s making a decision to work out more often or learning to speak a new language, at some point, we’ve all been in a position where our old habits ended up trumping the new ones we wanted to build. But why does that happen? It’s because we lost touch with our purpose — the reason we wanted to do something new to begin with. 

Purpose is the “why” behind your vision and your goals. Your purpose is what makes something important to you. It’s what gives you the passion and energy to move forward, no matter what internal or external obstacles get in your way. Sometimes we get caught up in the “doing” of something new, and when it becomes hard or boring, it’s easy to give up and give in to the old way of doing things. 

Keeping your purpose clear in your mind gives you the motivation you need to keep going strong, even when you don’t feel like it or when it seems like what you want just isn’t coming. That’s why it’s important to deliberately uncover your purpose; get clear about it, write it down, and connect with it often. Watching your vision come alive requires that you regularly reconnect to the passion, enthusiasm, anticipation, and joy that you’ll feel when you get what you truly want.

There are two ways that people approach any purpose: either by being motivated toward pleasure or by moving away from pain. Some people work harder to achieve something that will feel good in the having of it (pleasure), while others are driven toward a new goal in order to avoid something they don’t want (pain). 

When it comes to identifying your purpose, it’s most effective when you consider both pleasure and pain motivators. Why? Because your bases are covered when you’ve thought through what you will gain by following through and what you’ll lose by giving up. As you think through your purpose, think about what pleasures you’ll enjoy when you reach your goals and what pains you’ll experience if you don’t reach your goals. 

Remember, purpose keeps you moving forward with energy, emotion, and determination. The most effective way to motivate yourself to actually do anything is to know why it’s important for you to do it. You can use your purpose to keep going strong as you work toward your goals. It’s easy to get caught up in the process of being busy or simply doing things because you believe they need to be done. Getting clear on your purpose helps you eliminate distractions and place all your efforts where they’re needed the most, which in turn increases your productivity exponentially. 

As you look at your goals for 2021 write out exactly what you will gain by achieving the goals you have set and what you will lose if you don’t achieve them. 

To learn more about how to create a powerful vision and purpose that you can and will achieve in 2021 visit www.nasp.com today!