We’re highly complex, self-aware, emotionally attuned beings, and we desire more out of life than just living.
It’s not enough to simply go through the motions of getting a job, settling down, having kids, and retiring at a “reasonable” age anymore. We aren’t willing to be a cog in a machine — we want to contribute to something meaningful and significant that is larger than ourselves.
That’s where all the buzz about “finding your purpose” comes from. The term has a rating of 100 (out of 100) according to Google Trends, making it one of the most frequently and consistently searched queries.
However, despite the wealth of information available, finding one’s purpose somehow remains hopelessly misunderstood.
Mark Lack, speaker, peak-performance coach, and bestselling author of “Shorten The Gap: Shortcuts To Success And Happiness” claims that’s because we’ve lost sight of the foundation of purpose. He’s identified two fundamental components of purpose that the majority of the world appears to be blind to.
I caught up with Lack about the path to purpose on this week’s episode of Unconventional Life: “Why Self-Mastery Is The Quickest Route To Success.”
Lack is a pro in the world of self-development. He’s invested over $500k into courses, consultations, coachings, books, and seminars in the quest to become his greatest version.
His drive stems from his elite paintballing career during his teenage years. By age 18, he had earned over $300k in revenue from tournaments and traveled the world extensively, achieving celebrity status in the sport.
Thereafter, Lack shifted his focus inward for success. He used the money he earned from paintball to finance his thirst for personal development, and now considers it his best investment to date.
“Get back in touch with self-mastery because it’s the one thing that never goes away. You’re the one person you’re stuck with forever,” Lack says.
Lack’s intensive internal work has resulted in a deep understanding of himself and his true purpose. He believes that purpose “should be built on the pillars of growth and contribution.”
Below, Lack shares how you can build your life upon these two foundational pillars to realize your own life purpose.
Focus on bettering you. “The reason you don’t have any passion right now and don’t know what your purpose is is because you’ve lost track of the one thing you should always be passionate about… which is bettering you,” Lack says. Commit to your own growth and the growth you want to see in the world will follow, because you will finally be empowered to create it.
Cut out the distractions. Figure out what you need most in your life to put yourself on the path to getting what you really want. Maybe it’s improved health, relationships, time management, or emotional mindset. Once you’ve identified your greatest need, stick to it and stop trying to focus on solving several needs at once. “Stop trying to create a new product and focus on what you really need,” Lack jokes. Do just one thing at a time exceptionally well and you’ll find laser-beam productivity and growth.
Take one action each day. It can be overwhelming trying to tackle something as lofty and abstract as feeling purposeful. So instead, take concrete steps each day that will accumulate to that result over time. Lack recommends to take one action in the area of health, happiness and wealth daily. It doesn’t need to be big, but it needs to be meaningful to you. Consider prioritizing nutrition and exercise, recreation, personal affirmation, and adding value to others.
Serve something bigger than yourself. Contribution is essential to feeling like your life has purpose. Identify a cause that you care about and pour yourself into it. Often the most meaningful causes are the ones with personal significance. You might volunteer for this cause in your local community or leverage a movement online to begin making an impact. “As long as I’m serving someone or something bigger than myself, I know I’ll be happy, and I know I’ll be moving down the path to ultimate success,” Lack says.
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