The Power of Purpose
The Power of Purpose
How to Empower Your Goals
by: Robert G. Allen
What is the fundamental secret to achieving wealth and success in life? If you just knew that secret, you could become financially free. And who doesn’t want financial freedom? If you make enough money, the world is yours! Right?
That’s one of the reasons a lot of people go to work each day. In the back of their minds they say, “If I work and save long enough, I can retire and do what I really love.” Some yearn for a faster way. They play the lottery. Or get caught up in some get-rich-quick scenario. Or turn to legitimate investments such as stocks or real estate. The underlying assumption is always the same: First make some money, then you’ll be able to do what you love-to pursue your passion.
In fact, it’s so ingrained in us, we could almost call it the Great Success Formula:
Money = Happiness, Fulfillment and Freedom to Pursue your Passion.
So what’s the first step in making money? All success books preach the same thing: You must set a goal. Make it specific. Write it down. Visualize it. Read it every day. Magnetize your subconscious mind with single minded, money making determination. Simple.
Well, if it’s so simple, why aren’t more people financially independent? Is it because so few set financial goals? Or is it faulty goal setting technique? Perhaps they need to visualize the money better….smell the money, see it stacked in neat bundles as high as a house, and make the image clearer. Maybe they need to set a goal to read their goals more regularly. Or to cut their goals up into bite sized pieces. What’s the answer?
Many years ago, before I understood why goals don’t always work, I was teaching in Dallas on the power of goal setting. A woman came up to me afterward with a puzzled look on her face. “Mr. Allen. I’m a full time real estate investor. I get up in the morning excited. I love to make deals. I have so much fun making money, I hate to go to bed at night. And yet, I’ve never written down a financial goal in my life. What am I doing wrong?”
I was stumped for a moment. She didn’t fit into my picture of the successful person (since all successful people have financial goals, right?) I stammered something about how much more successful she’d be if she did set goals. She nodded, wisely. And I shrugged off the whole incident.
About this time, a good friend and fellow real estate investor, told me that he was going to liquidate his small portfolio of properties and concentrate on his painting. I said, “But Sam, if you stick with real estate for 5 more years, you can retire and be free to paint for the rest of your life.” His answer was mildly unsettling. “Bob, I’ve discovered I don’t like real estate. But I love to paint.” I walked away shaking my head at this soon-to-be-a-poor-and-starving artist. But a year later he was doing rather well financially. And loving every minute of it.
Then, I read an article about how billionaire Donald Trump spends a typical day. He arrives at the office, talks a lot on the phone and does deals…..whatever deals he feels like doing that day. No written goals. No specific agenda. Just a passion to do deals…..the bigger the deal, the better. How could this be? I wondered. Don’t all successful people have written, financial goals?
And then, one day all of these seemingly unrelated incidents coalesced into one gigantic AHA! It happened while I was watching a golf tournament on T.V. featuring Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Fuzzy Zoeller and Arnold Palmer. As they asked these four great golfers why they golfed, I suddenly knew why they were so successful: “I love the game of golf.” “I love the competition.” “I love to try to beat the best players in the world.” “I love the people you meet in the game of golf.” “Challenge is important to me.” “I could play golf every day, all day long.” “I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world. There are very few of us who get to do what we love and make a lot of money doing it.”
That was it! These guys weren’t playing for money! They were playing because they loved to play. Sure, maybe in the beginning money was a part of it….maybe a big part….but money was never the primary motivator. First and foremost, they were passionate about the game of golf. I doubt any one of them had a written financial goal, “I want to become a millionaire playing golf before my 35th birthday.”
What’s more, I bet the golfers who play just for money, rarely make it to the leader board. It’s not that their financial goals don’t work. But they’ve got the formula backwards! Remember the Great Success Formula?
Money = Happiness, Fulfillment and the Freedom to pursue your passion.
In truth, that formula should be just exactly the opposite.
Pursuing your passion is fulfilling and leads to financial freedom.
When you’re doing what you love to do, the money comes naturally. Maybe not at first, but eventually…if you stick with it. Do you think Bob Hope started out with a goal, “I want to become a millionaire by making people laugh, then I’ll retire to do what I want?” I doubt it. He just did what he did best. And the money came. Slowly at first, but then in truckloads. After he became extraordinarily wealthy, why didn’t he retire? When you’re living your dream why would you want to retire?
Do you think Tina Turner sings just so she can make a lot of money and then retire? Of course not. She loves to entertain. The money is just a by-product. Even during the tough times in her career, I doubt she ever considered real estate as a way to make it. She always knew she was born to sing.
What about the presidents of the Fortune 500? They each make about a million dollars a year. Why do they do so well financially? Because they’re greedy? Of course not. They love the game of business. And the money is just how they keep score.
I read a study where the employees and executives of a major company were asked what they would do if they won a million dollars in a lottery. 80% of the rank and file employees responded that they’d immediately quit their jobs. Then they asked the executives the same question. Only 20% of them would quit. Why would 80% stay even though they were now financially independent? Because they find a lot of happiness and fulfillment in their day to day activities. They love what they’re doing. They’re not leaders because they make so much money. They make so much money because they love to lead.
If Bill Cosby won the state lottery, would he retire from show business? Would Barbra Streisand quit singing? Would Shaq O’Neil quit playing basketball? Not even if he won the biggest lottery in the world. And almost nothing could have kept George Foreman out of the boxing ring.
What would you do if you won the lottery?
Imagine what you’d do if you won ten million dollars. Would this make you happy? Sure. (Whoever said money doesn’t bring happiness doesn’t know where to shop!) What would you spend it on? A larger house in a better neighborhood? And a nicer car? Pay off those debts. Buy some new clothes. Give a little away to your favorite charitable cause. Blow a few thousand for the heck of it. Sock some away for a rainy day. And, of course, you’d quit your job and do what you love to do, right?
Seriously, how would you spend your time if you didn’t have to worry about money? Want to know a secret? Most people never bother to ask themselves that question. They just assume that if they win that ten million dollar jackpot, then they’ll be happy forever.
But wait! Is that what really happens? After all, the lottery doesn’t pay you ten million in one big chunk. They spread it over twenty years…..$500,000 a year. Still that’s a lot of money. But what about taxes? O.K. So knock off another 40% for state and federal taxes. That still leaves you with $300,000 after tax. $25,000 a month. Heck, you didn’t used to make that in an entire year! Now, you can retire and live like royalty.
Or can you? Now that you’re rich, you automatically acquire wealthy habits. Instead of the $39 Timex, you’re going to want a $10,000 Rolex. Instead of a $10,000 Toyota you’re going to die for that $80,000 Mercedes. Instead of the $100,000 tract house, you just won’t be satisfied until you’re in the million dollar mansion. Your standard of living goes through the roof….absorbing all of the extra money….and before you know it, you feel broke again. And what are you going to do in 20 years when the money runs out? Obviously, you’re going to have to make more money in order to stay happy.
But wait! That’s the trap! More money isn’t going to make you happy. (Not that any of us wouldn’t want that kind of misery. “Oh well,” you say to yourself, “I always knew that money couldn’t buy lasting happiness, but I just wanted to find out for myself.”)
It’s not the money that you want, really. It’s the ability to earn your million dollars doing something that you love to do. Something that makes your life worth living each day. Instead of looking for happiness in some future goal of financial freedom (like almost all Americans), you want to find something that fulfills you every step of the way. Obviously, there’s more to your success than writing down your goals and dabbling in real estate.
People who achieve success and maintain it, whether it be in real estate investing or show business, have something that gives power to their goals…..something I call “purpose.” In my opinion, without purpose, goals aren’t worth the paper they are written on. In fact, without purpose, goals ruin a perfectly good piece of blank paper.
So what is purpose?
Purpose is knowing what you want and doing it because it expresses who you really are. Billy Graham, Julio Iglesias, Lee Iacocca, Mother Theresa (when she was alive). They’re “on purpose.” They’re living the life they were born to live. It’s hard to imagine them doing anything else. They don’t need goals to motivate themselves. They’d do it anyway. And if they do set goals, it’s just to keep score.
I’ve spent a lot of time studying highly effective people, including graduates of my various seminars (call 1-801-852-8700 for more information), and I find four threads that run through all of their conversations:
| Passion:
Values: Talent: Destiny: |
They love what they do. If they weren’t making so much money, they’d be tempted to do it for free.
Their daily activities are extremely important to them. They’re good at what they do. Call it talent or ability, they’ve got what it takes to be one of the best. They have a sense that they are doing what they were born to do. They are making their own unique contribution. It’s almost a spiritual thing. They’re following their intuition and feel they are fulfilling their destin |
Is purpose only found in the lives of genius? Absolutely not. I believe every person has a unique purpose. And that includes you. You have unique talents, abilities, interests and values which only you can bring into greatness. You have a destiny which only you can fulfill. So how do you tap into this sense of purpose? Actually, there are at least three distinct steps.
Step one. Ask yourself the Purpose questions.
What do I love to do? What am I good at? What is important to me? What was I born to do? Below you find a Purpose Finder questionnaire. List the top seven answers to each of the four questions. Don’t be too serious. Enjoy yourself. When you’ve finished, rank each of the items in each list in order of importance assuming you only have 5 years to live. I encourage you to spend at least one un-interrupted half hour completing the following exercise
PURPOSE FINDER EXERCISE
| WHAT DO I LOVE TO DO?
What has given me the most satisfaction in the past? What excites me about life? What activities give me the most enjoyment and inner peace? What are my hobbies? Where have I been happiest? What is my secret ambition?
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME? What would I commit myself to if money was not an object? If I only had 5 years to live what would I absolutely have to accomplish for my life to have been meaningful? What do I stand for? What won’t I stand for? What would I be willing to sacrifice for? What has caused me to make great sacrifices in the past? What would I be willing to risk my life for
|
WHAT AM I GOOD AT?
What have other people told me I’m good at? Where have I excelled in the past? (i.e. sports, entertaining, relationships, communicating, problem solving, persuading, leading) What are some of my strengths? Where have I been successful?
WHAT WAS I BORN TO DO? What is my unique mission in life? Where can I make a difference? What specifically does God want me to do? How can I pay contribute? What is my niche? What unique space I occupy on this planet? Where can I my rent for the opportunities have been placed in my path? What do I sense is my destiny?
|
Step Two. Prepare a Purpose Statement.
Using your Purpose Finder information, try to discover what thread runs through your life that connects you to your life’s energy. What activities make you come alive? What values guide your daily decisions? Most people complete this exercise and are amazed at what they discover. Try to see patterns in your answers. See how many of the top priorities in one quadrant are similar to those found in other quadrants. These are good clues. Use this information to construct a Purpose Statement, a short description of the priorities which guide your life and it’s meaning.
Don’t let this intimidate you. You’re not trying to uncover the meaning of life – just what motivates you at this time in your life. You will revise this purpose statement periodically as your life unfolds. I once heard a radio interview with Dr. Benjamin Spock, the author of the international best selling book on raising children. The interviewer couldn’t understand why the famous pediatrician and author was now involved in anti-nuclear demonstrations. Dr. Spock explained, “I became a pediatrician because I loved children. I became an author because I wanted to teach parents how to raise more healthy children. And now I fight against nuclear weapons because I hate the thought of what war does to children.” Although his life took many turns, the theme was always the same: children. Same tune, different lyrics. If Dr. Spock wrote a purpose statement it would probably read something like this:
“I was born to heal people, especially children. My purpose is to use my talents and skills to help children all over the world.”
By the way, my own purpose statement used to be a page long. I finally honed it to one sentence.
“My purpose is to inspire and empower people to achieve their destiny.”
This one sentence says it all for me. I love to teach. I love to write. And I love to create new ways to help people live life to the fullest. Now, it’s your turn to write down your purpose statement. Take out a pen and give it a stab. So what does all this have to do with creating wealth? Actually there are several reasons it’s necessary to link purpose to your activities in creating wealth. You may be one of those fortunate souls who has the “knack” for making money….who is a “natural” for this kind of business in the same way that Jack Nicholson is a natural actor or that Beethoven was a natural composer. If so, your investment career may not bring you fame but will certainly bring you more fulfillment and financial success. Ask yourself some questions:
Do you like making money? Do you enjoy business and investing? Or do you just want to be rich? Do you enjoy taking risks? Do you like to negotiate? If your business made you wealthy what would you retire to? Are you an entrepreneur? Are you good at creative problem solving? Does the thought of being an investor give you a surge of excitement? Is business important to you? Is it in your blood? Will it help you express who you really are? Like an artist, is it your canvas? What is your canvas? Is this your purpose?
If it is, the odds of your success go up dramatically. You see, purpose is like your favorite dessert. Have you ever noticed that no matter how full you are, your favorite dessert always makes room for itself? You always find time for the things you really want to do, no matter how busy you are. When you are on purpose, nothing stops you. When you aren’t, any distraction, problem, obstacle, disappointment, negative thought or feeling can divert you.
So what if you weren’t “born” to be a passionate investor, entrepreneur or real estate magnate? What if you just want to make some fast, safe money to pursue some other dream or passion? Moreover, what if you don’t want to be financially free at all but just wanted some extra financial security? That’s O.K. too, as long as to link your intentions to a sufficiently motivating reason.
Step three. Link your intentions to a compelling reason.
There is an old saying which I will paraphrase:
“If the ‘why’ is important enough then no ‘how’ is too difficult.”
In other words, very few of us would hang glide off the Empire State Building for ten thousand dollars. But if it meant saving our children, we’d be the first in line.
The ‘how’ of creating wealth is simple to understand but not easy to implement. It takes commitment, dedication, time, and effort. If your only reason for starting is because you want to get rich…..then, you don’t have a compelling enough ‘why.’ You need some reason that motivates you to go through the ‘gravel digging’ until you uncover a nugget. Lee Trevino sometimes hits 1000 balls a day on the practice tee in preparation for a major tournament. He couldn’t do it unless he had a major reason. What is your major reason for wanting to be financially free? The more specific the reason, the more compelling the drive, the more probable the success.
I asked a woman at a recent seminar why she was there. She explained that she had a handicapped son who required substantial government assistance. This assistance was scheduled to run out in a few short years. At that time, she “had to be a millionaire” just to be able to take care of him. In other words, her reason for investing is so compelling, she’ll be motivated to do whatever it takes to make it. When she’s dealing with a banker, seller or realtor, her commitment is going to radiate from every cell in her body. This will translate into more opportunities and closed transactions.
The following five steps will help you link your goals with the power to realize them:
1. Find out where you are.
If you don’t know where you are, how do you expect to get where you want to go? Sit down. Prepare a realistic financial statement. I know you’re tempted to skip over this step. You can’t. It is essential to this process. As you prepare your statement, remember to list all of your assets whether you think they are valuable or not.
Then, take inventory of your inner strengths and values. Your Purpose Finder exercise and Purpose Statement will clarify this step for you. Look at your past experience. What qualities do you possess which are necessary to success?
You should also take inventory of the barriers that will slow you down from reaching your objective. Is your desire sufficient? Are you financially prepared? Will your family support you? Do you have enough knowledge? Is there a local mentor who can coach you through the rough spots? Can you find 5-10 hours a week to devote to this process?
Now that you better understand where you are, it’s time to sharpen your focus.
2. Focus on a specific intention.
Rather than using the word “goal” I am going to replace it with the word “intention”. An intention is actually different than a goal. Most people set goals based upon external motivation or whim. They see a billboard of a new car and their “greed glands” fire up. “I want that car and I won’t be happy until I get it!” That’s a goal. A goal is wanting to become a doctor or lawyer because it will please your parents. An intention is when your own “inner voice” tells you to become an architect. A goal is often fueled by fear. “Real estate prices are jumping upward. I better get in and make some money before it’s too late.” An intention is fueled by a sense of purpose. “I’ve always wanted to be a real estate investor. I would love the personal freedom it could provide.”
| Goals
EXTERNAL MOTIVATION WHIM, FANCIES, APPETITES HAPPINESS IN END RESULT FUTURE ORIENTED UNNATURAL DISSATISFACTION IMITATION MEDIOCRITY |
Intentions
INTERNAL MOTIVATION DEEP NEEDS, DESIRES JOURNEY IS THE REWARD NOW ORIENTED SECOND NATURE FULFILLMENT UNIQUENESS EXCELLENCE |
A goal is “I want to be a millionaire by January 1, 2005.” An intention is, “Within 5 years, I want to start a program to dramatically raise the self esteem of children in my city.”
But even this is not specific enough. Can’t build a house from rough sketches. You need a blueprint. A specific game plan.
3. Formulate a specific game plan.
Your game plan is the specific steps in making your intention come to life. Suppose you wanted to be a real estate investor:
Purpose: I have always felt a need to own my own business. Intention: I will be a full time real estate investor within 2 years. Game Plan: I will remain in my job and spend 5 hours a week for the next six months learning, studying, and going to seminars to acquire the basics of investing. Then, I’ll buy one property in the following six months. I will remain a part time successful investor until I can afford to do it full time. I intend to make the leap to full time status when I have accumulated a “safety net” of at least 6 months of cash and be experienced enough to earn at least twice my current salary from my investment activities. This should happen in the next 24 months. Within 5 years, I intend to own properties with accumulated equities exceeding one million dollars. Then I will broaden my focus to include the following additional intentions:
-Teaching kids about the importance of the free market system -Increased support for my church organization -Reasonable approaches to saving the environment -Writing a book -Pursuing my talent for singing
Got the idea?
4. Flood your imagination with vision.
In addition to a specific regimen of physical training, every Olympic athlete also incorporates a scientifically designed program of visualization. It is impossible to achieve world class status without it. Why?
Over seventy years ago the French scientist, Emile Coue, uttered a statement which is a clue to why visualization is essential to long term success:
“When the will comes in conflict with the imagination, the imagination always carries the day.”
In other words, no matter how determined you say you are, if your imagination is not in harmony, you’re doomed to failure. To say this in a more positive way, if your deepest needs, values and internal beliefs agree with your direction, then you’re more likely to succeed.
Have you ever sabotaged yourself? Ever come close to victory only to slide back into the jaws of defeat? When you are fighting yourself, you can’t win. Suppose you desire financial success but a part of you thinks that rich people are “all bad.” It’s going to be a tough fight all the way to the bank. What if some part of you feels that you don’t deserve to be wealthy? It’s obviously going to slow you down.
I recommend you spend five minutes a day quietly visualizing your future. Imagine you’re in a movie theater watching a film of your successful future. See yourself, up there on the screen, as the principal actor. Notice how you behave now that you have achieved what you set out to achieve. Notice how happy you look. Notice how you walk and talk and interact with the other people in the film. Notice the material benefits of success. Tinker with the imagined scene by adding color, moving images, size of the screen, and sharpness of the images as well as sound. Adjust the imagined scene until if feels “right” to you…. until it reflects the most “real” representation of your successful future. Then, move out of your seat in the theater, step into the body of the “future you” on the screen and notice what it feels like to have achieved your dream. Look through your future eyes and notice, from this perspective, how others react to you. Notice the surrounding trappings of success. Concentrate on how it feels to have “made it.”
Step back out of the screen and take your seat once again in the theater. Then, scan the various steps in your game plan which brought you to your ultimate success. Notice exactly how you “made it” in such a way that all parts of you were in agreement. Notice what it’s like to close on each property in your game plan from last back to the first. Especially notice how you develop as an individual. Notice how you transcended each of the major obstacles in your path. Imagine how you overcame each fear.
Then, return back to the present, bringing with you the insight of your journey into the future. Each day you can focus on a different aspect. For instance, you might create in your mind a “mastermind” council or board of directors to advise you. This imaginary board might consist of your heroes past and present. At each barrier, you could convene your internal mastermind team to counsel you.
That should be enough to get you started. Once your purpose, intention and game plan are in place and you have begun a regular Neurobics regimen, there is only one final step
5. Force yourself to take at least one small step a day.
Don’t let a day go by without doing something….no matter how small. I call this my “bottom line” for the day. A bottom line is when you say to yourself, “When this day is done, no matter what else I accomplish, I must at least do this:_______(fill in)________________ ___________________________________________________________. See how many bottom lines you can add by the end of the day.
So to review: Determine your purpose. Establish a specific intention. Develop your game plan. Practice your Neurobics. Chunk your game plan down into at least one daily bottom line. Complete and read the following commitment form regularly.
Commitment
I, ____________________________hereby acknowledge the following:
Purpose Statement: My destiny is to weave the following principles, values and talents into the fabric of my daily life:
Specific Intention: Drawing upon the strength of my purpose, I intent to focus my efforts on the following specific intention:
Game Plan: I will pursue my specific intention by following the following game plan. I acknowledge that the game plan may change as circumstances change. I will be open to flexibility and will listen to my intuition as my intention becomes clearer and clearer.
Additional Intentions: Upon achieving my primary intention, I may choose to focus more effort on achieving the following:
1.____________________________________________________ 2.____________________________________________________ 3.____________________________________________________ 4.____________________________________________________ 5.____________________________________________________
Signed and witnessed this ______day of ______2000_____
_______________________________ ___________________________
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