State Your Purpose

Although I've been working in Bloomington, IL this summer, I'm living in nearby Normal, IL, home of Illinois State University.  Scattered around the campus and downtown are several red signs on street lamps, each making a play on words with the "State" in the school's name.  The one that caught my attention read: STATE Your Purpose, with  the word state in all caps and bold varsity letters.  We all need to have a purpose, a direction in life, and goals to strive for.

In the best-seller Pyscho-Cybernetics, the late Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote:

"Even your body doesn't function well when you stop being a goal-striver and 'have nothing to look forward to.'  This is the reason that very often when a man retires, he dies shortly thereafter.  When you're not goal-striving, not looking forward, you're not really 'living.'"

Maltz also explains that working towards goals gives you more happiness, which also makes every system in your body run more efficiently.  There is a strong link between happiness, a sense of purpose, and overall health.  But even if you aren't retired, you can still improve in this area.  Instead of just going through the motions at practice, in school, or at work, wake up each morning with an intention of what you want to accomplish.  You'll be surprised how much better you feel when you are actively pursuing something. 

In the book Elite Wrestling by Tom Ryan, former Lehigh wrestling head coach Greg Strobel says that every wrestler should have a hobby, and that it should be something unrelated to your sport, your classes, or your job.  Doing so will create balance in your life and will allow you to still be goal-striving when taking a break from your normal activities.

Have purpose,
Jeff