8 Questions With Life Coach Brad Swift
Dr. Brad Swift is one of the foremost experts on the subject of personal life purpose, having founded the Life On Purpose Institute (www.lifeonpurpose.com) in 1996. An avid student of the human development movement and New Thought, he specializes in life purpose coaching with individuals and groups. He’s also a Platinum author on my website – you can check out his articles here.
Why did you start your business?
After recovering from a severe case of burnout in my former profession as a small animal veterinarian, I realized how important it maintain a clear sense of purpose in life. I also realized how many other people are pretty clueless about their purpose or how to go about becoming clear short of the ‘trial and error’ method. It was from these realizations that the Life On Purpose Process emerged.
At the same time, I was working on a pet writing project called Project Purpose — to write and publish articles about people living lives of purpose. When I started to see a pattern that a lot of these purposeful people were expressing their life purpose in some organized way — either a non-profit or a for profit business — I realized I could do the same. These two ideas came together and Life On Purpose Institute was born.
What was the hardest challenge you had to overcome with your business?
Maintaining ourselves as a ‘vision-directed, fiscally responsible’ enterprise where the vision to be a catalyst to create a world on purpose would continue to direct our enterprise while at the same time being fiscally and financially responsible so the doors remain open so the vision could continue to be realized. I’ve always been better with the visionary part than the financial part. Luckily, my wife and co-founder, has taken on the role of maintaining our financial integrity.
Do you feel there is a specific coaching process? And if so, could you explain the process?
In our case at Life On Purpose Institute, the answer is a definitive yes. We use a specific process known as the Life On Purpose Process which is a proven, systematic, spiritually based and practical approach that has helped thousands of people to first clarify their true life purpose, then provided them with the tools and the means to design their life to be a true and authentic reflection of that purpose. It’s a process that’s divided into 6 discreet passages or steps that helps to guide people to their living a life on purpose.
What is your philosophy about coaching and about achieving success and happiness in life?
Through over two decades as a life coach I’ve come to redefine my own definition of success. It’s not the person with the most fame or fortune but the person who has done the inner work to know themselves and their true purpose for living and have come the closest to living a life that is a reflection of their core values, their vision for what’s possible and the essences of who they are — i.e. Has lived true to their own life purpose.
I am honored to have had the opportunity to assist many people along their own personal purposeful path as their Life On Purpose Coach. It’s certainly hasn’t always been easy, especially over the past couple of years with the economic meltdown, but it’s always been worth the effort.
As a life coach, what is the best advice you can give to an entrepreneur?
Most entrepreneurs spend from 6-12 hours 5-6 days a week at their work, so with so much of our life energy invested at work, why not design your business to be a clear and powerful way in which you express your life purpose…. From the Life On Purpose Perspective, a person’s purpose is more about who they are as a spiritual being, that then has the power to shape the rest of their life and all that they do. When you design your business as a major way you choose to express your purpose, you then have a Business On Purpose that will not only bring you much happiness, but will also make a real difference for other people — your customers or clients.
What was the best learning experience you had?
Too many to include here, but the one that comes to mind most recently would be the realization that when I’m living true to my purpose I am creating my life beyond the outer circumstances and no matter how up or down those circumstances may be, I can remain at peace, on purpose and happy.
If you were to open up a new business in a different category what would it be and why?
Well, I am exploring that for myself right now. I often work with clients to help them become clear what their ‘encore performance’ will be in the third phase of life — what has in the past been referred to as the retirement years. I’m entering that phase of my own life, so I’ve been taking some of my own coaching. One of the things that is on my ‘what’s next’ encore performance short list is to further develop myself as a writer of visionary fiction and nonfiction — writing that both entertains as it enlightens. Of course, that would include the books I’ve already written especially Life On Purpose: Six Passages to an Inspired Life which was an award winning finalist in the Self-Help: Motivational division of the Best Books 2007 Awards sponsored by USA News, as well as branching into more visionary fiction novels.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’d like to invite them to learn more about the work we do at Life On Purpose Institute by experiencing our first online video series entitled A Life that Matters. Ann and I had great fun producing this simple 3-part video series that explores the 4 major obstacles that people run into that can sabotage their effort to know their purpose and live true to it, and how to move beyond them. It’s available at no cost online at http://www.lifeonpurpose.com/lifematters
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I couldn’t agree more with Brad when he said that we have to live true to our own life purpose. It’s hard to find people in alignment with that. My girlfriend and I started a website, http://www.juliossol.com/, to collect stories of people who pursue their passions in life and find out how they went about it. I believe that passion and life purpose go hand in hand, you can’t have one without the other. I want to see a new world full of people dedicated to their purpose and passion. Imagine how that could look…That is a dream I want to believe in.
I am on the path to finding my purpose and creating some sort of business around it. I still don’t know what it will look like, but step by step, I am getting there and it feels right! Can’t wait to see the final results. Great advice Brad!
I can relate to what Brad said about his wife and him having different roles within the business. I think when you work with your spouse this is what helps your business to thrive. If you both are visionaries, no one can handle the practical things and vice-versa. Great post, I enjoyed reading this interview.
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When your business resonates with you and gets you out of bed in the morning, excited to start the day, then you know you have something. I agree completely with Brad’s business of helping people people find a purpose in work. Work should be purposeful and then it stops feeling like ‘work’. Having someone help you figure out the steps you need to take can get you started. I am going to take a look at his videos now. Thanks for a great post!
I am not at this point yet. After reading this interview though, I would like to be there. It’s important to be reminded that no matter who you are, we all have a purpose and can give back to the world by finding it and doing something about it.
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Wow – thanks to all of you for your purposefully positive comments. Jannick – I’ll have to check out your web site. This year I’ve revitalized and revamped Project Purpose to help share the possibility of living a life on purpose to more people. I love write profiles and interviews about such people. Bet your site will be a rich resource.
Steven, just know it’s never too early or too late to clarify your life purpose. The youngest person to date to clarify their life purpose with the guidance of the Life On Purpose Process was 10, and the youngest we know of was 88 at the time she used the process. The point is to step onto the path and start — which you have by just wondering what it is.
BTW, we have a free Resource Center on our web site (www.lifeonpurpose.com) to help encourage people to get started in bringing clarity of purpose to their lives.
Play on with purpose and passion.
Thanks for the insightful answers Brad!
I have been thinking a lot about what I want the last third of my life to look like. After working for so many years and dedicating myself to my family, it’s hard to switch gears and allow myself the freedom to do something of interest. Good luck with your writing Brad during your ‘encore performance’. I too will be looking to do something that inspires and moves me!
Good luck Patrick! Keep us posted!
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Hi Patrick (and everyone else, of course) Regarding: “After working for so many years and dedicating myself to my family, it’s hard to switch gears and allow myself the freedom to do something of interest. ”
I really hear you. Change is not easy, even ‘good’ change…changes we really want to make, that will serve us and others.
Personally, I feel this is one of the driving forces that has had the profession of life coaching grow so well. Not only have I been a coach for over 20 years, I’ve had numerous coaches in my corner because I’ve found it works, helps me to stay focus on what I want that leads to more satisfaction and fulfillment and truthfully is a lot more fun.
Good fortune to you as you explore this exciting (and yes, at time scary) question of what’s next in your life.
Hi Evan,
Thanks for including Brad Swift of Life on Purpose Institute as his work uncovers the source of obstracles for entrepreneurs to be successful.
Liza Lee
Sage Simply Accounting
I’m glad you enjoyed it Liza – Brad’s been a great contributor to my site and to helping entrepreneurs!
Brad, I found this interview very interesting and helpful. Most of the people I talk to don’t even realize that purpose and work can be (and obviously should be) fused to create a life that is a representation of your beliefs, values and passions. You are right, many people have to go though, as you said, ‘trial and error’, before finding something that resonates. I will check out your website and listen to those videos because I feel like I am close, but not quite there! Congratulations on creating a business and having a vision that will help so many people feel better, happier and be more productive. It’s the only way to get our world back on course. We all have to search for inner happiness and peace before it is reflected outward. Cheers to your continued success!
Thanks, Jenny. The good news is that more and more people are awakening to the possibility of living a life on purpose. I’ve seen it happening over the past 16 years. Google Alerts increases for the key phrase ‘life purpose’ is just one small indicator of this happening as more people join in the collaboration to create a world on purpose.
I’d love to hear what you think of the video series as well. I think I may have posted the link, but just in case it’s http:www.lifeonpurpose.com/lifematters and yes, happiness is an inner game that then flows to the outside world.