Let's start with a playful riddle. What does a dog and God have in common besides the same letters in the words?
Answer: Unconditional love. At least that's what I've heard all my life. Of course, you can probably tell I'm a dog lover as well as a lover of God. And if you were offended by the riddle, I invite you to get over it. God loves a good joke and even allows the bad ones. How come? Well, it all goes back to unconditional love. The God force that makes up this universe loves unconditionally -- that means without limits, judgment or bias. God loves the bad joke teller as well as the rest of the human race -- equally. That's unconditional love.
But what does unconditional love have to do with living and loving on purpose? Everything. Here's how we describe the relationship that exists between unconditional love and your true life purpose in the Life On Purpose Process. As the Purpose Process was originally coming to me or perhaps to be more accurate I should say through me, I realized that I was looking for the basic elements that could be blended together that would consistently result in a life purpose with 3 primary properties.
The first property was that the life purpose would be a powerful shaping force in the person's life. In other words, it would be able to shape that person as they went through each moment of their life doing whatever they were doing. The second property was that the life purpose would be long lasting and enduring. In other words, it should be able to last a life time. And the third property was that, while it would be powerful and enduring, it would at the same time be flexible. What I mean by that is that it would still give the person ample room to play and fully express themselves as their life purpose.
With these 3 properties in mind, what I realized next is that there were also 3 basic elements that, when blended together, would consistently result in life purposes with these properties. Those 3 elements are:
A person's unique vision of what's possible in their life and in the world,
A unique set of core values -- those intangibles of life that mean the most to that person, and
An essence of who the person is. Their 'beingness' as the level of their soul.
I have found through the years with hundreds and thousands of people that when these 3 elements are identified and then blended together, what is consistently produced is a powerful, life shaping purpose which is long lasting yet flexible.
But what about unconditional love? That actually came a bit later, during a complimentary coaching session with a first time client. It was one of those wonderful coaching sessions in which the client and the coach were transformed, as was the Life On Purpose Process. The client was Faith Meenan, who has gone on to become a Life On Purpose Certified Coach, Coaches Development Program leader, and an integral part of the Life On Purpose faculty.
On that memorable day, Faith made the comment that it appeared that what these three elements had in common was the love of God, and as we all know the love of God is unconditional. In other words, the very foundation from which our life purposes arise is from the universal attractive force of unconditional love. From this foundation arises each person's unique sense of what's possible, their unique set of core values and the very essence of what they are at the level of their soul.
I remember the two of us sniffling over the phone as we both dried our eyes, being so moved by this realization. And I knew in that moment that the Life On Purpose Process had been transformed and taken to a new depth. I have also realized since that time that my own purpose and mission in life was transformed as well. That what I most want for all of humanity is for us all to be able to get in touch with that foundation of unconditional love and to stay connected to that life enhancing energy. And when we do that, we will truly be living and loving in a world on purpose.
Dr. W. Bradford Swift is Founder of the Life On Purpose Institute, and author of Life On Purpose: 6 Passages to an Inspired Life. The Institute's vision is: a world on purpose, with people living lives of purposeful, passionate and playful service, of mindful abundance balanced with simplicity, and spiritual serenity.
The Institute's Life On Purpose Home Study Course is a proven, systematic, spiritually based and practical process that helps you clarify your life purpose. Furthermore, this home study course provides the tools for you to design your life to be a true and authentic reflection of that purpose. So then you can get on with the joy of living according to your life purpose! This is our top recommendation for individuals wanting to live a truly fulfilled life.
