Redefining Purpose: A Revolutionary Perspective
“What do you want out of life?”
Good question. And this book changed my perspective on where the answer is found.
I discovered this book from an article in the WSJ in the first week of January. Although not compelling, the article tried in less than eight hundred words to answer the question, “ What do you want out of life?” The article by the book’s author did not answer the question. Her book did.
We spend our lives believing we know what we want out of life. In many cases, we learn what we want out of life is what everyone around us wants. And these associations become self-reinforcing.
The author’s focus is on values. Values, I learned, are our drivers. Our goals are an outgrowth of our values. Values and goals are not separate and distinct. They are completely intertwined.
But many of the goals we aim to achieve conflict with our values. For example, I want to build wealth for future financial security but compromise being with my family.
This book had a big impact on me.
I stopped thinking about goals and began thinking more intentionally about my values. With goals aside, it was easier to see what I value and how it motivates me. It allowed me to see the inconsistency in my day-to-day choices to my fundamental values. My values and goals have conflicted for so long that I realize I am in a rut. And the pain of this conflict became less and less acute as I allowed it to continue. But now I see it. I need to address it.
And I am addressing it because of this book. If you are bold enough to ask, “What do I want out of life?” this book will change your thinking and, eventually, your behavior.
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