We’ve made a mess. We’ve lost our way. If we want to find our way again, if we want to make progress, then we have to decide to advance on purpose.
The preview of Are Americans Really this _________? continues with the final chapter of Part 1, Chapter 8 On Purpose. If you would rather listen to this content than read it CLICK HERE.
Here we are.
We set out to determine what-the-heck is going on.
Through the seven previous chapters we worked from the micro to the macro. We began with nature and instinct, and in this last chapter we bridged to the social – business and politics.
It seems we may be cursed: we live in interesting times.
We are experiencing economic, political, and social upheaval simultaneously.
We have reached the transition point of a cycle. The pendulum has swung to an extreme. Either the “me culture” will manifest a self-destruct sequence and our current system will die, or we will embrace our personal power, overcome the “me culture” and advance.
Rejecting personal power, Americans overwhelmingly are consumed by dollar and cents considerations.
In our material-oriented society the more unstable personal finances become the more agitated and anxious we become, and the more likely we are to blame scapegoats and initiate counterproductive action.
In 2016 Americans elected a president who blamed immigrants, minorities, Muslims, women, foreigners, Chinese, Europeans, political opponents, and even people from his own party and administration who disagreed with his “me first” agenda. Given the right conditions Americans are quite easily manipulated and misled.
Why?
Are we truly powerless?
Is society a “survival of the fittest” and “might makes right” jungle?
Is life really all about power?
Life is all about power. But not in the way most people think.
What we see as corporate greed and graft and political corruption and what we see as moral decay is all caused by the same thing.
Our success in life, personally, individually, and collectively as a community and a society comes down to how we manage power; our personal power and the responsibility which attends to that power.
My success, your success, our success as individuals and as a society depend on each of us accepting and applying our personal power and personal responsibility. We must apply our power for our own growth and development. When we do – when we apply and cultivate our personal power – we take responsibility for and serve the greater good. The greater good benefits everyone.
Our task in living is to express more life; express the fullness of life. We are meant to realize the promise and fulfill our potential. That is why we are here. “All of you is God, but you are not all of God.” Something greater than us is in charge.
So in the midst of all the chaos and struggle, the greed and the graft, the angst and turmoil, how do we find our way?
We find our way by living on purpose with faith.
If you believed that physical reality is all there is – and that we are in the jungles of time and space just to compete, survive and reproduce – I do not think you would be reading this now. The challenges are trying. The difficulties are real. But those challenges and difficulties have a purpose. We, you and I, and everyone else are meant to be happy.
I think you know that. I think you believe that. It is a matter of faith.
You are powerful. You get to decide what you think, what you say, where you go, what you do and how you feel. You have the power.
Our challenge – the challenge every human being must confront – is to take up our cross, bear the burden of personal responsibility and exercise our power.
Think.
Connect with the infinite mind. Connect with God. The yoke is not heavy, the burden is light.
Happiness is not something to pursue. Happiness is not something we catch. Happiness is the by-product of living on purpose; of giving your gifts away.
Our purpose is not to compete and survive. Our purpose is to express more life.
You express more life by employing that unique set of gifts you possess.
By owning and employing your personal power you are not a victim of circumstance. Employing your personal power, you do not succumb to the struggle of the jungle.
You have a greater reason for being.
You are meant to live on purpose. You are meant to fulfill your true potential and in so doing be happy.
Share what you have been given: your gifts, your talents, your skills and abilities. Living on purpose is focusing and devoting yourself to making the most of yourself. Use your strengths, your talents, your skills and abilities to their greatest ends. This is your purpose.
Remember that equilateral triangle I had you imagine, with pain and pleasure on the base and power at the peak? Most people lose themselves in that endless struggle moving from power to pleasure to pain again and again.
In your mind’s eye lay that image flat. Add another dimension. Imagine a pyramid with purpose at the peak. The equilateral triangle, the struggle, is the base. Remove yourself from the struggle by focusing on the peak – your purpose.
Life is in motion. Life is change. You will face challenges. You will encounter difficulties. Challenges and difficulties, pleasure, pain, and power, are features of this adventure. Use them all. Feel the fullness of life.
Use your greatest power – think: pray, meditate, contemplate. Listen to the still small voice within. Connect with your true source. Explore and experience, learn and grow, create and contribute to express more life.
Live on purpose.
Then you will feel truly alive.
So, what-the-heck is going on?
Aristotle said happiness is the aim of life. Another ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
Socrates’ notion is that most people never find their purpose. They waste their lives struggling with pleasure, power and pain.
That is what’s going on.
What-the-heck is going on is that we are missing the truth. We choose to struggle instead of taking up our burden of personal power and advancing.
Once we individually and then collectively realize what is going on, life for all of us is going to change dramatically for the better. We will progress to a whole new level.
The turning point of this “me” extreme is an opportunity to advance the cause of life. If we fail to take advantage of the opportunity, if we forfeit our personal power we die. And the lesson plays again for future generations.
We all succeed when we embrace and employ our personal power.
Employ your personal power. Bear the burden of responsibility. Live on purpose with faith. And yours will be a magnificent life.
Monday’s post will begin Part 2 of Are American Really this _____________? The Truth About American Politics. Have a great weekend!
Scott