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May
7

Are you Self-sufficient or Self-reliant?

Posted by FaithfulDEEDS at 10:32 am

Reaching your goals and fulfilling your purpose should not be a one man (or woman) show. The greatest lesson we can learn from reading the Bible is that we are to depend and rely on God, not as a crutch, but as a foundation and the source of our existence.

I read a survey recently that was done back in 1960 as researchers were seeking to find out how millionaires reached their level of financial status. The survey surprised the researchers because it showed that millionaires did not make their money through traditional investing and saving, but rather through finding something they love to do, making themselves valuable to others and exchanging their value with the value of others who helped them reach their goals. So were they self-sufficient or self-reliant? The research showed that “self-made” millionaires don’t exist. Wealth was created through the exchange of value.

The difference between self-sufficiency and self-reliance is value exchange. If you fail to make yourself valuable to others then you will not be able to reach true success. Self-sufficiency is doing everything yourself, without cooperating with, giving value to, or receiving value from others. Self-reliance is being accountable for yourself, while providing value to and accepting it from others. Simply put, there has to be an interdependent relationship in order to be self-reliant and achieve your goals. You have to provide value and be humble enough to accept it!

We all have a responsibility to find and fulfill our life’s purpose, while developing and exchanging our value with others. So how do you find your life’s purpose? You have to ask your manufacturer! When Kodak creates a camera they know exactly what that camera is supposed to do, they build in it certain abilities and technologies, they know who will use it and how long it will last. The same goes for our Creator. God knows what you were created to do, what talents and abilities He placed in you, how you can use those talents and abilities to fulfill your purpose and how long you will last here on Earth. In order for you to learn these things you must connect with your manufacturer.

If you understand your purpose and you understand what it means to be self-sufficient then you’ll recognize the impossibility of being self-sufficient and fulfilling your purpose. Ask yourself a couple of questions: What do I want out of life? What do I have to give? Who can I serve? How can I increase my value to others? By answering these questions you will discover the passions and desires God placed in you and who is affected by your purpose.

Remember, your purpose is bigger than you. The quicker you come to the realization that life’s not about you, the quicker you will understand true freedom and happiness. Depend on God and be self-reliant, you already have everything you need to succeed in life, you just have to apply it!

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May
4

Satisfied… On Purpose!

Posted by FaithfulDEEDS at 11:29 am

Recent statistics show that nearly half of all Americans expressed they are dissatisfied with their jobs. Are you one of them? If so, why are you dissatisfied? Could it be that you’re not fulfilling your life’s purpose?

The truth of the matter is that you will never obtain true happiness or satisfaction unless you’re actively pursuing your passions and unique purpose in life. No external possession or privilege will provide you with the fulfillment you seek in your occupation. But just because you don’t have satisfaction, doesn’t mean you can’t obtain it. Who’s holding you back from achieving your life’s purpose?

The roadblock to achieving your purpose might not be “who” but most likely it’s “what.” Financial pressures have caused Americans to seek security rather than achieve purpose. Since the Great Depression money has become the largest slave driver of our culture today, causing families to work harder and longer than ever before, yet still failing to obtain the true riches of lasting relationships with faith, family and friends. We tend to seek temporary solutions to long-term, and even eternal problems. So what can we do to change this pattern?

The first step to going after your life’s purpose is to discover it. Being in the rat race of life most Americans seldom have the time to discover what their talents and abilities are because they’re not taking the time to nurture them daily. Without the daily cultivation and application of our talents, we fail to develop the skills necessary to make a lasting impact on the lives of others. Your purpose is bigger than you. We all have a unique mission in this life to do something great that has never been done before and never will be done if we don’t take the time to actively pursue purpose. The fruition of our gifts, talents and abilities start at the root, not the branch. We must connect to the source of our creation in order to ask the question, “Why am I here and who’s benefiting from my existence?”

Once you discover your purpose in life, then its time to develop a plan for achievement. Your plan is going to be different and unique so don’t look for examples on how to fulfill your purpose, instead look for those who can hold you accountable to the plan you create. Accountability is key to achieving goals, that’s why you must seek out those who can review your plan objectively and provide you with beneficial feedback. Don’t get caught up in looking for someone to approve your plan, instead you should be looking for someone who is going to challenge you and push you to exceed your expectations. With the stretching of your faith, you will soon discover the stretching of your abilities.

Now what? You discovered your purpose, you put a plan in place, you have an accountability coach to help you along the way, now what do you do? Now it’s time to expect it to come to pass! This is where your faith will be tested. This is where you are most likely to give up because you don’t see results in record time. I urge you that when you come to those times of deep personal doubt, that you review your plans, talk to your accountability coach and rediscover the “why” to your life. The more you stay focused on the “why,” the more the “how” will become increasingly simplified.

Getting started is the hardest thing you’ll do because it takes an effort and a true commitment to make a change, but it can be done, and it must be done. Going after your purpose is a process that should be taken with persistence and confidence. Your success is not measured by the swiftness of achievement, but rather by the persistence of your passion. Start small and gradually increase your efforts, this process will gradually increase your faith and ultimately increase your value. It’s not about what you possess, it’s about whose lives you impact.

Going after your purpose will give you a sense of satisfaction and joy that is unexplainable. When you take the steps necessary to create change in your life, the people around you will soon catch on and benefit from your actions. It’s not your boss’ job to help you obtain satisfaction, it’s your job and it starts with a decision. Money can’t hold you back. People can’t hold you back. Now’s the time to look at the opportunities around you and discover your own personal satisfaction… on purpose.

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