By Nat Crawford
One key component of becoming your most authentic self is examining your heart. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddle Back Church in California, says "Physically, each of us has a unique heartbeat, just as we each have unique thumbprints, eye prints, and voice prints...no one has had a heartbeat exactly like yours. In the same way...we think about the subjects, activities, or circumstances that interest us. We instinctively care about some things and not about others." That is very true, isn't it?
We have all been wired a certain way and have had experiences, both good and bad, that gives us a bend for certain people, places, and causes. That is why a purpose reflection of your life will help identify your heart cry. To begin ask good question!
What drives you? That is the big question? What get's you excited and motivated to make steps to change people and the world around you? Start by thinking about your dreams and desires? Make sure these are your dreams and not the dreams of the culture. Ask the key question "Why do I want this?" This will bring clarity.
Who do you have a heart for? Another way of asking is who do you care about? Your past experiences play a major part in this. I come from a divorced family. Because I have a broken home, I have a strong desire to see marriages last and families thrive. That points to a "who" that I care about.
What can you do? You are skilled in certain areas. You have unique strengths. Looking through that filer, can you help people relationally, emotionally, vocationally, educationally, or spiritually? In other words, what can I do to help people grow and become their most authentic selves?
What problems do you want to solve? There are countless charities, organizations, associations, illnesses, socioeconomic problems in the world today? Which one(s) will you help to solve? You may not care about going "green", but you may want to help people defeat childhood cancer. You maybe have little interest in the poverty of India, but you care greatly for homelessness in your hometown. What time and money were no problem, where would I donate myself wholly?
What goals will you help others achieve? Zig Ziglar says, "You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want." This is the essence of servant leadership. Look at Habitat for Humanity. How do they get people from all walks of life come together to donate their time and resources to build homes for people who cannot afford one? It comes from their heart. The amazing thing is the people who serve become radically changed. It is not about what they get or give, but what they become in the process of giving.
Are you sitting on the sidelines or are you in the trenches changing the lives of others? I hope it's the latter. What can you do today to live with passion and purpose?
Labels: cornerstone leadership solutions, dreams, heart beat, passion, purpose, rick warren, service
