Once upon a time, I found myself stuck in a self-made prison of limitation. After decades of sitting in prison, one day I woke up with an intention to escape my prison. My desire was to leap from my prison of LIMITATION into a life of LIBERATION, beyond the confines of my physical location.
But I did not know where to begin…
My intention to escape my prison burned inside me for so long, it became a driving force in my life, like an inner GPS or satellite navigation system. It consumed every spare moment of thought, energy, and time. It gave me no respite. It would not allow me to rest or to stop. It eventually forced me to ask questions I had not asked myself in ages:
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What am I here to do?
Is this all there is to life?
I began to think about what I wanted, what I desired, and what truly mattered to me. I took a deep dive inward, and I began to search my soul to find those things that brought me true joy and real fulfilment. Thinking of those things led me to want to do more than just think about them. I realised that thinking alone would NOT create the life I desired. I needed to ACT. I also knew it that time was of the essence, as I was conscious of a milestone birthday slowly inching its way towards me. Trust me, it wasn’t easy to ACT - remember, I had sat in that prison for so long, venturing out seemed very daunting.
Some wise person once said that procrastination is the thief of time, and they were right! What they forgot to add is that procrastination is also the thief of clarity, confidence, and ultimately, of your Shine!
Even the finest piece of jewellery can lose its shine if not properly cared for. The precious gifts and talents we carry on the inside are no different, in that they must be consciously nurtured and deliberately cared for, or we risk death by procrastination.
Thankfully, I decided to TAKE ACTION; I decided to ACT on the things that brought me true joy.
I began to cultivate my creativity. I devoted myself to writing. I created Likeable Limericks and began to write little inspirational pieces to inspire, challenge and provoke - first myself, and then others.
What really propelled me to take Action were the honest answers I found when I did that deep dive into my soul. Those answers stirred in me:
a hunger for change;
a vision for how I might create the change I wanted;
a decision to make the changes I had to make; and
a commitment to making those changes.
I decided to no longer be chained to a life of limitation that doesn’t serve me. I went on to hire a coach who taught me how to find the confidence to birth my first book which had been hiding in my belly for decades, and how to overcome the inevitable challenges and obstacles along the way. The action I took in publishing my first book brought MASSIVE CHANGE into my life, including a 2nd Book, ‘The Journey To Purpose’, an anthology which I co-authored with 15 other writers, published within weeks of my first book.
CURRENT HAPPY STATUS: I am no longer who I was before I took ACTION - I am now an INFLUENCER, making global impact and creating platforms and opportunities so that others might discover and embrace their SHINE. I am no longer sitting in prison where I used to be - I am now (S)oaring (H)igher (I)nto (N)ew (E)xpressions.
Like most people, I’m intrigued by the concept of life and purpose, and their underlying principle(s). Many questions have been asked and just as many answers have been proffered, about the subject of Life and Purpose. Your own answers may differ from mine, and that’s okay, as long as they are your (considered and informed) answers, that inspire you to take ACTION towards your goals.
Here’s the thing: I rarely subscribe to cookie-cutter, template answers on any subject, much less a subject as important as Life and Purpose. The reason is simply because we are each of us unique individuals, and contrary to the popular claims of the so-called motivational gurus, one size does not fit all.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
I recommend exploring your feelings and analyzing options, in order to discover your path to Personal Brilliance. From there, you can begin crafting a solid ‘tool’ which you can immediately employ, so you can travel on a more rewarding and personally fulfilling path in life.
If you are ready to UNLEASH your ‘Shine Factor’ and step into the ‘Shine-Zone’ of your life, I can offer you 3 action-steps to follow:
- Understand and accept the Principle of Choice;
- Create your underlying principle and life goal; and
- Align your life with the underlying principle in order to achieve your life goal.
However, everything MUST begin with an intention, right?
As a matter of fact:
Everything begins with an intention;
Intention begets Purpose;
Purpose begets Action; and
Action begets Change.
I know this because I’ve lived it out! It is how I unlocked my Shine Factor:
TRUTHFUL REALITY: Change is inevitable, do not stand in its way. Embrace it!
FACT TO TAKE TO THE BANK: The Genesis of Change is Intention; Change is really just Intention acted upon.
So! What Will YOU Do Now?
INTENTION begets PURPOSE.
What is the intention that you will set today?
PURPOSE begets ACTION.
What is that purpose that is waiting for you to fulfil it?
ACTION begets CHANGE.
What action do you need to take NOW to usher in the changes you desire?
Truth is, you cannot GROW where you need to GO by sitting in the same spot.
So, will it be Growth by Action, or will it be Death by Inaction?
There's a choice; there always is.
That choice is YOURS; it always is.
If YOU are READY TO SHINE, I have the perfect opportunity! Join me as I bring together under one roof some of the most amazing global thought leaders, experts and influencers at the first ever LIVE Leap and Shine Conference in London, February 2020!
Being truly READY TO SHINE means you don’t procrastinate, it means you GO NOW to secure your seat at this global conference by visiting the event website at www.leapandshineconference.com and grabbing one of our limited EARLY BIRD tickets before they run out!
I’ve done my bit, now you do yours!