Ever said “I can’t or won’t do ___” and then something turned it around? I can’t write a book, I won’t join a health club, I won’t live on the water, I can’t go on a silent retreat, I won’t buy a van, I can’t save money, I can’t help a colleague at work, or I won’t get on an 11-hour flight to London. I had to eat crow on all of these.

I’ve had an intention to return to London for 30 years but the flight duration always deterred me. Why go to London when I could land in NYC in half the time? Still, I wanted to go to London; I kept saying so for decades. The turnaround happened when my son graduated college and announced he was going to grad school… in London. I booked my flight within hours. When I look back on that decision, I realize the lengthy flight never even crossed my mind. Why? Well, I think it’s because I found a purpose that was bigger than any prior reason for visiting one of my favorite cities.

When I consider all the times I did an about-face, there’s one thing in common: a strengthened sense of Purpose. Purpose drives our intentions, whether it’s committing to a meditation retreat so I can become a kinder person to myself and others, or saving money to support my family.

Aligning Purpose

Consider your intentions in various aspects of your life: 

• Work
• Personal finances
• Relationships with family & friends
• Health and well-being

For each area, try to find a purpose that makes your intentions easier to fulfill. If you can’t find a substantial purpose in a particular area, it might not be the right time to pursue that goal. This can free up your energy for other intentions where you do have a sufficient purpose.

Example: Financial Goals

If you’ve been trying to save money or increase your income, what purpose would make that easier to accomplish? Perhaps it’s living with less financial stress or buying a stable home. With a strong purpose, anything is doable; without one, the intention is often more challenging to actualize.

The Impact of Purpose

A strong purpose can transform seemingly daunting tasks into manageable ones. For instance, working 40-60 hours per week without a clear purpose can be detrimental to your well-being. However, with a strong sense of purpose, it becomes not only doable but potentially fulfilling.

Finding Purpose in Everyday Activities

Find your purpose for everything you do, no matter how mundane it may seem:

• Doing the dishes (e.g., for the peace of mind that comes from a clean kitchen)
• Meditating
• Writing a work email

Purpose not only gives us energy, it changes the results of our actions. Writing an email to help a colleague achieve greatness produces very different results compared to writing it because it’s your job.

The wind is at our backs when we have purpose. I’m flying to London to visit a few meditation teachers, see theater, work remotely, and, most importantly - connect with my son. I’m no longer thinking about the upcoming 11-hour flight.

I encourage you to reflect on how purpose currently drives various aspects of your life. Have you identified where you currently sense purpose and where you could use more? I’d love to hear how purpose has influenced your own journey.