Noble Purpose

All month long we've been focusing on the idea of living from "Noble Purpose" based on the book of same title by Berry Hermmann (www.noblepurpose.com) . Its been a wonderful series and continues for a few more weeks. In week 5 we discussed the step of "Claiming" which is about becoming 100% responsible and accountable for manifesting our noble purpose. Berry Hermmann suggests that we take our vision and break it down into bite size pieces and take action.

As I reflected on this throughout the week, I remembered that I had done just that. When I was 14yrs old I was inspired, guided and moved into my Noble Purpose of public speaking and a life of public service. The action that I took was to create a business card and tri-fold brochure that highlighted my volunteer position with New Mexico Peer Leadership program and my desire to serve. Inside the brochure I published the following quote from George Bernard Shaw - it became my beacon, my guiding light and vision statement for many years to come. Some 18 years latter I find that my life is a manifestation of this quote and it continues to guide and direct me.

“This is the true joy in life … being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one … being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy … I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It’s a sort of splendid torch which I’ve got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing on to future generations.” - George Bernard Shaw