Wednesday 12 October 2011

YOUR POWER COMES FROM YOUR PURPOSE ... by Keith Abraham

This is the first of several posts this month from some folk I know and admire who are changing what's normal.

YOUR POWER COMES FROM YOUR PURPOSE ... by Keith Abraham

Some men and women set out to change the world and others set out to be better parents to their children. Which is nobler?

Neither. Both are equally important. It’s just that one gains more publicity than the other. We often think of great deeds as those that are done by others on the global stage and are televised to us each night. If the truth is to be told, it is far more important for you and I to fix our own backyards and to concentrate on fighting the battles we can win.

It might be helping a child with their reading, so that they don’t get teased at school. It could be taking the time to listen to a friend going through a challenging personal issue, learning a new skill at an evening course, mentoring a work colleague on a business project or giving yourself the time to focus on what’s important to you.

You have so many purposes to choose from in your life. Never compare your purpose in life to that of others, unless you don’t have a purpose at all. Most people do have a purpose but it is not defined. I also believe that a purpose is developed with thought but it is clarified with experience and it is developed over time. You can have a number of different purposes at varying times of your life. You may achieve your purpose easily, you may never achieve it or you may change your direction from time to time and jump from one purpose to another.

There was an old story that has always stayed with me. It is about 3 bricklayers constructing a wall. A passer-by asked them each the same question ... What are you doing? The first bricklayer replied, “What does it look like, I’m laying bricks!” The second said, “I am building a wall”, and the third explained, “I am building a magnificent church that will stand the test of time and be used by thousand of families as a place of worship and celebration.

Great Purpose Comes from Great Vision

There have been many great stories told about Walt Disney and the adversity he overcame to create Disneyland, the movie company and the business empire that extends all around the globe, however my favourite story happened after he passed away on the 15th December, 1966. It was the opening day of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida on the 1st October 1971. Roy Disney, Walt’s older brother, was walking all the media through the park prior to the arrival of the guests, explaining why Walt wanted created the park the way he did.

It was then that one of the journalists made the offhand comment to Roy Disney, “Isn’t it a shame Walt never got to see this place open?” Roy stopped in his tracks and looked at the journalist in the eye and said, “The reason why you and I see it today is because Walt saw it first.”

It is no wonder that one of Walt Disney’s favourite quotes was ...”If you can dream it, you can do it.” His imagination created the vision and he then turned his vision into a reality through his purpose.

What goals do you have for your future? What visions do you want to turn into a reality? What could you achieve if you knew you would be triumphant in your quest to achieve that goal? What is your purpose in your workplace? The stronger your purpose, the clearer the picture you will have of your future.

For More of Keith Abraham’s Passionate Insights visit his website here, receive his BLOG here, or contact him personally at ka@keithabraham.com.au

Be the difference you want to see in the world
Ian
Leader Changing What's Normal Tribe


Sparkenation: a spark that ignites passion that leads to action that changes what's normal

More sparkenations are here.



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