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What a Little Boy's Clarity of Purpose Teaches Us About Success

Guest post by: Bud Bilanich

Article Overview: Successful people clarify their purpose and direction in life. Your purpose is your mission -- why you exist. Your direction is your vision -- where you are going in the short term. New Orleans Saints head coach, Shawn Payton's son has a simple purpose in life -- to spend as much fun time with his father as he can. That's why he worried that he wouldn't be able to have his post game catch with him last Sunday -- because the field was covered in confetti. What is your mission in life? What is your vision for the next five years? If your answer is, "I don't know," please take some time to answer these questions. These answers provide you with your clarity of purpose and direction -- a foundation on which you can build to create the successful life and career you want and deserve.

What a Little Boy's Clarity of Purpose Teaches Us About Success

New Orleans was jumping on Sunday. The Saints beat the Vikings to get into the Super Bowl. I read that during the game 80% of the televisions in New Orleans that were turned on during the game were tuned to the game. That's an amazing number. This is the first time the Saints are in the Super Bowl in their history. They began playing in the NFL in 1967. That's a long time to wait for a chance at the championship. Ironically, many Super Bowls have been played in New Orleans; the Saints just haven't played in them. I was at the Denver Broncos first appearance in the Super Bowl in January 1978. It was played at, you guessed it, the New Orleans Superdome. The party began in the Superdome as soon as the game was over and continued long into the night in New Orleans. There was one story about all the partying that really caught my attention. Sean Payton, the Saint's Coach mentioned that his young son was worried that they wouldn't be able to have their post game catch because the stadium floor was covered in confetti.

I thought this was touching, but I also thought it reinforced one of the points I make about creating the successful life and career you deserve -- clarify your purpose and direction in this life. Sean Payton's son is a little guy. Right now, his purpose in life is to enjoy playing with his dad. By the way, they did have that game of catch, confetti and all. Young Mr. Payton was staying true to his purpose. He wanted to be able to continue his ritual with his dad. A successful day at the stadium meant playing catch with his father after the game was over. It didn't matter that this was the biggest game his dad had coached to date.

Clarity of purpose and direction is one of the four keys to career and life success that make up my Common Sense Success System. To develop your personal clarity of purpose you need to do three things. First, define what success means to you. Second, create a vivid mental image of you as a success. This image should be as vivid as you can you make it. Third, clarify your personal values.

When I speak about clarity of purpose and direction people often ask me how this ties into things like a personal mission or vision. Here is what I tell them....

Think of your purpose as your mission in life as your reason for existing -- why you are on this earth. My mission is helping other people create the successful life and career they want and deserve.

Think of your direction as your vision for where you are going in the next five or so years. My current vision is to use the internet and emerging technologies to being my common sense message about career and life success to as many people as possible.

Get it?

Purpose = Mission

Direction = Vision

Your personal vision needs to be aligned with your mission. Your goals should flow from your vision.

The common sense point here is simple. Successful people clarify their purpose and direction in life. Your purpose is your mission -- why you exist. Your direction is your vision -- where you are going in the short term. New Orleans Saints head coach, Shawn Payton's son has a simple purpose in life -- to spend as much fun time with his father as he can. That's why he worried that he wouldn't be able to have his post game catch with him last Sunday -- because the field was covered in confetti. What is your mission in life? What is your vision for the next five years? If your answer is, "I don't know," please take some time to answer these questions. These answers provide you with your clarity of purpose and direction -- a foundation on which you can build to create the successful life and career you want and deserve.

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Article Tags: clarity of purpose, define success, direction, Mission, personal values, personal vision, vivid mental image
Referred by: http://www.jimbouchard.org



Related Forum Posts
Re: Success - I study success intently, and would like to share: Here's two excellent and nearly identical success-formulas from a couple of the world's masters. FIRST FORMULA: 1. Passionate Desire 2. Clear, Definite Purpose 3. Committed Decision 4. Take Action In Faith (Bonus Secret Sauce: 5. Repeat Consistently) I made a video about this, but am not allowed to link it yet. Google "Ryze Success Steps" for it. Oh, and this is Napoleon Hill's (Master Of Success Laws)'s Formula. SECOND FORMULA: 1. Passionate Desire 2. Understand It Is Already Done (Faith) 3. Relax & Allow It To Unfold (Go about your life calmly) This one is courtesy of Abraham-Hicks (inspiration for the movie The Secret). Hope that helps!
Re: Clarity Trumps Persuasion - Jeff, Thanks, great stuff !!! Clarity or "KEEP IT SIMPLE" is probably the best advice anyone can ever give or get when involved in any business or personal situation. Over 30 years of manufacturing ladies apparel has taught me two critical business lessons: 1-You will never get a 100% perfect outcome so In the BEGINNING,take your time, exhaust all your resources and energy and plan, plan, plan. . . If it STARTS off right it you'll get close to the desired outcome. 2-Keep it simple I now will add "Clarity" to my formula for success. CLARITY AND KEEPING IT SIMPLE BREEDS SUCCESS . . . . I know the advice above is simple but isn't that what it's all about. Thanks Ringo, This information not only was great for my website but it reminded me that "keeping it simple and clear" got me and my teams through some wicked situations Best wishes Barry
Re: Clarity Trumps Persuasion - Wow, I would really recommend everyone to go through the presentation. It's not so much that it's new information, but their presentation simply reaffirms in a concise way what we know about marketing and sales conversion. Clarity trumps persuasion indeed!
Re: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD...RIGHT NOW!!! - Success = Thinking (Head) + Heart (Feeling / Interest) + Hand (doing/ action). Success - H3 Robert
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