Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve….You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.
–Martin Luther King, Jr.
I believe having a purpose is about serving. People sometimes stumble on deciding what their purpose is and what cause to choose? Here, I think purpose comes from core values, perhaps looking around your community and seeing where there is a need and what calls to your heart the most. I think having a purpose is much simpler than we make it out to be. Human minds tend to complicate life.
We might want peace in the world and realize that with all the wars, violence in different forms, inner and external conflicts–peace seems further away. Yet we can still serve to bring peace….Spreading peace can be smiling at people, feeding homeless people, donating to a cause, sending a card to a friend, signing a petition, advocating for those who need help.
I have come to believe that a purpose fulfills the needs of others while bringing a deep satisfaction to the self. Serving others stems from grace and love. Living a life of purpose is finding ways to serve others.
From the book Serve to Lead by James M Strock here are some questions to ponder on and fuel a purpose full life.
The Four Questions of 21st Century Leadership
Who Are You Serving?
How Can You Best Serve?
Are You Making Your Unique Contribution?
Are You Getting Better Every Day?
Peace,
Shobhna