This is the true joy in life -- the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the 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. George Bernard Shaw
When I first heard those words in the winter of 1988, I realized I'd spent much of my first 39 years as "a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances." During that winter, I committed to redesigning my life, to clarifying my purpose and living true to it. At the time, I had been a small animal veterinarian for about 13 years, and owned a successful, though hectic practice. But I was restless to move on to what was next in my life, to determine what mighty purpose could result in me being a "force of nature." Over the course of the years my purpose evolved to what it is today:
To live an inspired and inspiring life of purposeful, passionate and playful service, mindful abundance balanced with simplicity and spiritual serenity.
This purpose is what shapes my life each day, and I express this purpose as an accomplished public speaker, life purpose coach, and author, along with being the founder of Life On Purpose Institute.
As a public speaker, I lead programs on life purpose that are customized to fit such diverse groups as churches, spiritual centers, civic and professional organizations. The principles of these programs are also available in the 12-week teleclass, Living the Fulfilled Life. From these programs participants bring more focus to their life, experience a renewed sense of fulfillment, and lighten up and have more fun. Out of this focus, fulfillment, and fun emerges an ability to maintain balance in their life and a deeper appreciation for living.
One of my all time favorite ways of expressing my purpose is as a life purpose coach. I find the intimacy and creativity of one-on-one coaching to be a breathtaking experience. The select group of people who are my clients are very special to me, and with them I am constantly creating new facets of life purpose coaching that are then incorpoated into the other programs.
As a writer, I've written well over 300 magazine articles for a diverse assortment of magazines including Omni, Entrepreneur, New Age Journal, Yoga Journal, Utne Reader, Unity Magazine, Better Homes and Garden, Modern Maturity, and many others. I'm also a regular contributor to Veterinary Economics. (Yes, I still have a special place in my heart for animals.) My books include, WINNING THROUGH COACHING: Building Your Business Through Building Your Team and TRAVELING THE PURPOSEFUL PATH – 6 Passages to an Inspired Life on Purpose.
In short, the focus of my life is life purpose. From living on purpose, I've been blessed with an extraordinary life in which I am satisfied and fulfilled. My wife, Ann, and I share our redwood chalet home in the "Paradise Found" of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with our daughter, Amber, and a menagerie of purposeful and playful pets.
I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is 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 it on to future generations. George Bernard Shaw