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Living Life on Purpose – A New Year’s Resolve

Living on purposeThe New Year is the perfect time to step back and reflect on the past year and identify what you want to accomplish in the upcoming year. When people reflect on the past the biggest questions they ask is “What did I accomplish?”

I would like to add a few other equally important questions:

  • Did I accomplish my goals and check off everything on my to do list? Success is often measured by job status, wealth, influence and busyness.
  • Did I spend most of this year focused only on advancing my goals while sacrificing time with family and friends?
  • Was it all work and no play?
  • Was I busy pleasing others and neglecting myself?
  • Did I get stuck in this place of doing what I have always done, something safe?
  • Did I constantly live in the future instead of being fully present in the now?

PURPOSE

The most important question we can ask ourselves at this time of year and time of life is: “Am I living my life on purpose?” Dr. Richard Leider, author of “The Power Of Purpose”, says that living on purpose is a choice that we make every day.   Living on purpose means becoming aware of who we are and what we bring to life each day. Dr. Leider suggests a good place to start living on purpose is to ask the question: “Why do I get up in the morning?” This requires taking time everyday for a brief moment of reflection, being still and asking this important question. Meditation or sitting quietly in the morning works best for me.

Now don’t get me wrong. There are lots of obstacles in this fast paced digital world and there never seems to be enough time in the day to get it all done! But taking time for that inner stillness can provide clarity, help you discover your true self and purpose and really understand the true person you are trying to become?

Another great article I recently read nailed it for those of us pursuing our encore career –  “Five New Year’s Resolutions for Older Adults:

  • I resolve to embrace uncertainty rather than avoid it. The world of work and life has changed dramatically. It is time to explore and embrace new trends and tools in business, technology and work.
  • I resolve to seek opportunities in changing conditions. Dealing with change is hard but if we can begin to see change as an opportunity and to identify the benefits for that change we will be ready to move forward.
  • I resolve to stop and reflect on my second act. Carve out time at the beginning of the day to reflect and make adjustments moving forward.   Journaling and Meditations are great ways to capitalize on this inner reflection time.
  • I resolve to remove and improve. This is a perfect time to not only talk about what you want to start doing but also to identify what activities and relationships you want to drop.
  • I resolve to make friends with risk. This means stepping out of your comfort zone and taking action instead of letting the future just happen to you. This may mean going back to school, learning new technologies, starting your own business or following your dreams.

Living Life on PurposeEncore Tampa Bay is committed to help you take that next step on your encore journey. We have been creating a wonderful network of individuals and organizations that can help connect you in three ways:

  1. Connecting to who you really are and your true purpose.
  2. Connecting to each other. You don’t have to go on this journey by yourself!
  3. Connecting to your encore. Whether it is learning new skills, finding part time contract work, connecting to a non profit to share your talents and experience, or starting your own business.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR UPCOMING DISCUSSION GROUPS AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP YOU TAKE THAT NEXT STEP AND TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!!

I would like to leave you with two inspirational quotes:

“You must do the thing you cannot do, it’s the only way to overcome the fears we all face in doing something new, take a leap into the unknown.”    -Eleanor Roosevelt

“ The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one’s feet”  -Lau Tzu

Happy New Year- Let’s all commit to living our life on purpose in 2016! We are happy to help you along the way….

Encore Resolutions For 2015

reflectingIt is, once again, the time when we pause and reflect on the past year. Hopefully you are taking time away from work or life’s rat race to ask:

  • What did I accomplish?
  • What would I like to do over or improve?
  • What did I learn?
  • What things did I not get to?

Now is a great time to look ahead, to be purposeful about what you want to do and to set your priorities and goals for 2015.

Let’s first acknowledge the recent facts and articles about the social change movement occurring in America with adults 50+ beginning to “THINK” about redefining their work and life as they approach their second half. Notice that I am emphasizing “THINKING” vs “DOING”.

Taking action to begin the discovery process toward your encore could be the best New Year’s resolution you’ve ever made!

I have been working and speaking with experienced adults for the last two years and I continually find that people get stuck in their own head. People are either afraid or unsure of how to begin on this discovery process to find their purpose. One of the best books I have read this year was Your Life Calling by Jane Pauley. Jane says, “You have to be willing to take the off-ramp”. The first step is moving away from who you have been or what you have done most of your life. The second step involves letting go and discovering the possibilities.

Finding your purpose:

 

Finding your purpose means going within, taking time for reflection:

  • Explore the past. What were some of the interests or skills you left behind before getting on the “gerbil wheel”?
  • Examine your current values. Research shows adults in their 50’s have a significant shift in values.
  • Dream or imagine something you have always wanted to do. Let your creative juices flow.

In a recent article, John Tarnoff interviews two of the 2014 Encore Purpose Prize winners to find out how they discovered their encore careers. Two key themes emerged in their stories.

  1. Finding your encore means bypassing the logical, conventional and linear path of rational thought and listening to your heart.
  2. Finding your encore stems from a core personal inspiration, from either a sudden ‘Aha’ moment or a particular philosophy or sense of purpose that emerges over time.

next stepI have learned over the last two years that the hardest step of all is the first step; letting go and moving into the discovery process.

People ask me:

“Where do I begin?”

“What are the exact steps that I need to take?”

The answer is not clear or exact. It starts and looks very different to each of us. This is why I will offer a wide range of suggestions and tips for getting started on this discovery journey.

Suggestions for starting the discovery process:

 

Explore articles and books that focus not only on the “how to’s” but also the facts, emerging trends and inspirational stories of people in their encores. Here are a few great books which include important discovery activities and assessments.

There are many more. These are merely a start.

Meet up with other people at this stage of wondering. I have found the power of human connection can help with the fear or feeling that you are the only one that feels this way. Visit our Encore Resources and Programs.

  • Test drive your path. Start by volunteering in an organization to explore and experiment.
  • Explore other opportunities for continued income that peaks your interest including part time employment, project work or starting your own business or franchise. Visit encore resources and programs.
  • Go online to discover your purpose at Life Reimagined or at The Purpose Economy.

What are you waiting for?

 

chart new pathThis is an exciting time for our generation to chart new paths not only for us but for generations to follow. What is holding us back?

I am committed to building an encore community here in Tampa Bay where we can learn, connect and retool for our encore. Let’s do this together!

I leave you with two more items; a great article on New Years Resolutions for your Second Act and a quote by my hero, Eleanor Roosevelt:

“You must do the thing you cannot do, it’s the only way to overcome the fears we all face in doing something new, take a leap into the unknown.”

 

Happy New Year!

Bevan Rogel

LIVING LIFE ON PURPOSE

Find your purposeIt has been a little over a year since I founded Encore Tampa Bay and began the mission of accelerating the encore movement in our community. There have been many important lessons I have learned along the way.

At the heart, the concept of discovering your encore boils down to one thing, finding your purpose. There are two incredible books that I am currently reading that have made a tremendous impact on my thinking and shaped my mission for Encore Tampa Bay. (This does not trump the ultimate life changing book for me, “Encore”, written by Marc Freedman!).

In Richard Leider’s book, “The Power of Purpose”, he writes, “Purpose is fundamental to human life. Purpose gives us the reason to get up in the morning. It gives us courage.”

We all have a purpose, whether we know it or not.

Discovering your purpose is at the core of what we are doing at the Encore Academy, through our workshops and discussion groups. Discovering purpose is extremely important for those entering the second half of life when values, roles and situations change dramatically. In a time when people have lost their jobs or have experienced some kind of loss, it is our identity and purpose that centers us and gives us courage to consider living a life that is of purpose. Encore.org has put purpose at the top of their focus as they created the prestigious and inspirational Purpose Prize Awards. Richard Leider’s book does an incredible job of looking at the many benefits of finding purpose from an emotional, physical and psychological point of view. I plan on writing another blog post specifically on the nuggets in this book.

As I began crafting my vision for Encore Tampa Bay, I knew that finding purpose and helping people discover their encore was more than just helping individuals. Aaron Hurst has just written a powerful new book, “The Purpose Economy”that takes the concept of purpose and expands its impact and framework beyond the notion of individual purpose.

In the Purpose Economy, Hurst suggests that we are moving beyond the Industrial and Information Economies to an economy that serves the people and the planet. Hurst writes,

Live a Life of Purpose“The Purpose Economy is defined by the quest for people to have more purpose in their lives. An economy where value lies in establishing purpose for employees and customers through serving the needs greater than their own, enabling personal growth and building community”.

 

Hurst talks about the three types of purpose that are transforming the economy:

  1. Personal purpose
  2. Social purpose (relationships and connections), and
  3. Societal purpose (this is not just philanthropy and non-profits, but includes corporate products and services).

In a recent interview with Hurst, he talks about the myths and misperception about finding purpose at work or in life. There is a misconception that people think to have an encore career they need to move to Africa or start a non profit to make that shift. The reality is there are a lot of incremental changes that can be made at work. People can find purpose in any kind of job. It all has to do with attitude and approach. Purpose is a choice. Marc Freedman, the founder of Encore.org, reminds us that you don’t have to reinvent yourself to find your purpose or encore but simply reintegrate who you are. The important message from “The Purpose Economy”; pathways to purpose are not only the individual’s choice but the organization’s as well. That is the bigger picture.

I will be writing additional blog posts focusing on the many aspects of purpose and content from this book.

Are you wondering about your purpose?

Here is a great diagnostic tool that might help you get started on your Purpose Journey. Go to the Purpose Journey website and find your purpose patterns.. Want to join in the “Purpose” conversation?

The Encore Academy is hosting a free discussion group on June 24 at the St. Petersburg Greenhouse, from 10:30-12pm, “Purpose: Finding Meaning and Happiness in the Encore Years”