Resolution vs Purpose

Yep, it's that time of year again when we resolve to spend less, eat less, complain less. And, of course we promise to save more, exercise more, and be more involved in helping our fellow man. We usually come up with our New Year's resolution on New Year's Day. At that moment our decision seems logical, practical, and doable. We feel excited and determined to stick to it for the next 364 days, but after a week at most, we've given up trying or have forgotten our choice all together.

Resolutions are good in and of themselves, but are oftentimes made without much thought or planning. We know there are areas in our lives that need to be changed, but simply having the intention to alter certain behaviors will not result in positive outcomes. What is missing in most resolutions is commitment. What seems like a good idea at the time quickly slips away if not
built on a solid foundation.

Commitment is more conducive to purpose, and whether we're aware of it or not, we all have a purpose in life. At birth we have been assigned a specific course of action that needs to be fulfilled in order to make the world a better place than it was before we arrived. This notion may seem ludicrous, but I believe that without a purpose, we'd just be meandering through life without doing anything constructive until the day we died. What a sad commentary on the human condition, don't you think?

No, we're not aware of our purpose as babies, nor are we usually conscious of it during childhood, but as we mature, whether because of what we've learned or experienced over time, a reason for living in each of us begins to emerge. Situations arise that draw us in, and keep us interested. Before long we find ourselves totally involved and willing to do whatever it takes to make something good happen as the result of our tireless efforts. It's almost as if we are being pulled along by some magnetic force, and we wouldn't think of severing that connection, At this point, our purpose is realized and our commitment has been defined.

Now we must continue to set goals despite constant obstacles being thrown into our paths. Not all of our decisions to reach specific milestones will work, not all of them will even get off the ground, but because we believe in our life's mission, we will never stop trying, we can't. It's like running a race that involves passing the baton to a teammate, we don't dare drop it because everyone is depending on us to do our part, actually the fate of our world is at stake.

So instead of making a superficial New Year's resolution, if you've not already discovered the purpose for your very existence, take the time to contemplate why you were put on this earth, and begin taking action to fulfill your mission. If every human being would realize their true purpose and commit themselves to striving to reach certain goals in 2017, we'd be well on our way to world peace in the very near future.