461: It Takes Heart

Two years ago, I developed a purpose assessment tool and put it on the home page of my website.  Since then, about 1,300 people have taken the assessment.  The tool has 20 statements and those who take it respond to those 20 statements in one of five ways.  Then each person that finishes gets a score from me as to where I believe they are in their PurposeQuest.  I thought it may be interesting to analyze the results.

THE TALLIES, PLEASE.

When each person gets their score, I place them in five categories:  Platinum, which is the highest, followed by Gold, Silver, Copper and Bronze, which is the lowest.  Here is the percentage breakdown for those who got scores:

1. Platinum -- 2%
2. Gold -- 14%
3. Silver -- 27%
4. Copper -- 32%
5. Bronze -- 23%

So 85% of those who took the assessment fell into the lowest three categories of the assessment. Along with each score, I also provided recommendations of what that person can do to move up to the next level of purpose awareness.  I have no idea how many followed up with my recommendations, but I know few enlisted me along the way as a purpose coach.

I decided to analyze just the last three months and compare it to the previous 21 months and found that there was about five percentage points increase in the copper, silver and gold levels, with little change in the highest category and a decrease in the lowest.  It seems that people are increasing in their purpose awareness but it is a slow process for some.

What does this tell me?

THE ANALYSIS

The assessment and its results are hardly conclusive but I do have some theories.  Here they are.

1. You are so conditioned to think about jobs and career that purpose requires a radical change of thinking.
2. Purpose requires a change of thinking if you are going to find and fulfill it.
3. Seeking purpose may require time and effort and you and I are already busy with the work of life and living.

This last point made me think of a comment I read in Laurence Boldt's book, How to Find the Work You Love, that I quoted in my own book, I Wrote This Book on Purpose, So You Can Know Yours!  Boldt wrote:

The quest for the work you love – it all begins with the two simple questions: Who am I?  And What in the world am I doing here?  While as old as humanity itself, these perennial questions are born anew in every man and woman who is privileged to walk upon this earth.  Every sane man and woman, at some point in his or her life, is confronted by these questions – some while but children; more in adolescence and youth; still more at midlife or when facing retirement; and even the toughest customers at the death of a loved one or when they themselves have a brush with death.  Yes, somewhere, sometime, we all find ourselves face to face with the questions, Who am I? and What am I here for?

And we do make some attempt to answer them.  We ask our parents and teachers, and it seems they do not know.  They refer us to political and religious institutions, which often crank out canned answers devoid of personal meaning.  Some even tell us that life has no meaning, save for eating and breeding.  Most of us are smart enough to recognize that canned answers or begging the question will not do.  We must find real answers for ourselves.  But that takes more heart and effort than we are often willing to give.

Boldt says it takes heart to find your purpose.  I would agree. So there you have my thoughts, I would love to hear yours about the matter.  You can write your comments on the site where this entry is posted, and you can take the assessment for yourself on my website.  Have a great week!

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OPERATION CHICKEN COOP:  Three weeks ago I announced my latest effort to help orphans in Kenya and it is Operation Chicken Coop. The goal is to help orphanages raise chickens for food and revenue.  I outlined how we can do this in a blog post and have received about $600 of the $6000 needed toward the project. I just know that God is going to provide and He may use you to do so! You can give using the widget from Chipin on my Monday Memo or blog site. If I have the money by August 11, I can take it over with me and we can get started

THE SOPHIA FUND:  While you are at it. don't forget that I need your ongoing help for The Sophia Fund, which I use to feed orphans and widows. I cannot set up chicken farms for every orphanage, and there are still plenty of children in Kenya who eat one meal a day, if that. I have a separate widget for that cause as well on the Monday Memo site.  $150 came in for the Fund last week. Thank you again for your help.

RETURN TO KENYA:  I will be back in Kenya from August 16-18 to conduct another Investment in Excellence seminar in conjunction with The Pacific Institute.  This is a three-day seminar that changed my life when I attended it in 2004. Now I am a trained facilitator and want to share what I have with my friends in Kenya. The one I did in Nairobi last May was a tremendous success and this one promises to be bigger and better. It is not inexpensive, but the returns in your life and work are priceless. You can download the attached flier to find out more information and to read some of the testimonies of those who were present last May. Once you read, I urge you to register today so we can continue the work of changing Kenya one life at a time.

Download Kenya IIE 2

Comments

[Patricia]

For as long as I heard you at Nairobi Pentecostal Church, Kenya, teaching, I have desired to know my purpose. I receive your weekly bible study and Monday memo and even bought your books from our local bookstores. I have got to the point of really desiring to know why on earth God created me, and what I'm doing here. As a result of looking, asking and not getting a response I have become frustrated. More than even wanting to get married (which I really want to), and getting lots of money, etc, I want to know my purpose on earth. I am angry, grumpy and extremely not good company to be with lately, due to the delay. I have resulted to counseling and that seems to just calm my nerves.

Frustrated lady