Taking Purposeful Action – What do YOU want your life to look like?
Regrets – the things we failed to do, wished we had said, or missed the opportunity to do. They make us think what if and bring about the consequences of not taking purposeful action. It is time to realize that you are here on purpose and you have been given your own unique talents and gifts. Stop wasting the time you have been given, take responsibility, and make the mark you were intended to on this world.
Purposeful action is about minimizing, or better yet preventing those regrets. It is a self-generated, engaged and self-driven behavior to move you toward your highest purpose and greatest success. Driven by a personal commitment to your own definition of success, purposeful action is not impulsive. It is something that takes work to define, how it looks – what you want it to be. You must identify what you are willing to do to reach your greatest success and in contrast determine what you are no longer willing to do.
We are all unique individuals with our own paths. Purposeful action is not about knowing the right steps to take or having it laid out for you. It is about setting up the framework for the mark you intend to leave on this planet. As you learn through experience you will need to adjust, and that is ok. Review what you have laid out and tweak it often. Even when your circumstances change, you’ll notice that your priorities tend to stay firm. Keep moving forward purposefully – execution is the key to reaching your highest purpose and greatest success.
Begin setting up your framework with some personal analysis. Determine what your goal is, what it looks like and how you are going to achieve it. Set priorities and make commitments to yourself. Yes, you get to be selfish. What do YOU want your life to look like? Don’t let others determine what your life should look like. The most difficult part and the greatest part about your success is that you get to define it – You alone.
Don’t try to tackle it all at once. Break it down by first looking individually at the following 7 categories; Family, Faith, Financial, Friends & Colleagues, Health, “Me” time, and Career – in no particular order. Take one at a time and ask yourself, in my perfect world, what do I want this part of my life to look like? For example, in the health category you may say “I want to run a 5K by next month” or “I want to lose 25 pounds in the next 3 months.” This will allow you to be clear on the action steps that you need to take to get there.
After you have addressed each category and each has shape that matters to you, then you can prioritize them. There will always be some overlap in your category goals, but it is important to be clear on what really matters. This again is a highly personal decision and there is no right or wrong to the order. That is not to say that category 6 or 7 is not important. They are ALL important. Placing them in an order simply makes it easier to go about our daily tasks and decisions. Once the category goals are set, we can suddenly see our life vision. It all becomes very clear. Decisions become easier to make because a task either serves this vision or it doesn’t.
Get clear on the actions you MUST take, and more importantly those you must stop taking. Focus on taking action that will support you in leaving the mark you want on this world. Decide the right team of people to support you and hold you accountable for your actions as well as your inactions. You may find that there are some that need to be removed from the line-up!
Purposeful action is not a resolution – it is about being exactly all you are meant to be for the rest of your time here on this planet. Once your priorities are determined, set rules to protect them and ensure that you stick to them. Purposefully create your own legacy – don’t leave it up to chance and circumstance.
This article was written by Aly Calvo & Andrea Kulberg. To get more great advice from Women's Toolbox Media Diva Aly & Andrea, visit their website at: AlyAndAndrea.com
