The Significance of a License Plate
What do you think about when you hear the word “purpose?”
A few nights ago, a group of us from my business got together and did a presentation. It was so fun! It happened to be that the 3 of us who were presenting all had been very fortunate to be gifted with a vehicle from our company. It was exciting to stand back and look at our vehicles and admire our accomplishments! We had a photo shoot with the vehicles, and I couldn’t help but notice all 3 lined up with personalized license plates.
Each plate was something unique to us. I zeroed in on my vehicle, and I’ve had the same plate for 4 years. I look at it daily, and I realized that it sort of becomes static after a while. I forget what it actually means. There’s such significance in that plate though, and there’s a reason that I made it.
What is the plate, you ask? My license plate says PURPOS. When it was time to get one, I knew exactly what it was going to say. And here’s why.
Do You Know Yours?
For years I coasted through life not knowing what my purpose was. I’m not saying we only have one single purpose, but I am saying there are usually 1 or 2 things that are alive inside of us that we forget about. In my situation, I was so shy and not confident for years. That went into my years of motherhood, which was a wonderful thing, but I forgot who I was. I just coasted. I know I’m not the only one who has done that before!
So I wanted to ask you today. What is your purpose? Do you know?
Let me give you the definition of purpose. In the dictionary, it states that it is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. I believe with all my heart that we are all here for a reason. We are all significant and all one of a kind and all perfectly imperfect. We’re not here just to take up space – we’re here for a PURPOSE.
So when it was time to get this license plate 4 years ago, the word PURPOSE came to mind immediately. That word motivates me! It reminds me that I’m not just taking up space. The sad part is that there are so many people who walk through life without a clue as to what their purpose is.
Are You Being Introspective?
I believe that if you’re a parent, it’s extremely important to throw that word around a lot to our children. Remind them they have purpose and significance. They were made for a reason. They are uniquely made and perfectly imperfect! Throw the word “purpose” around so that they don’t float through life unsure of why they’re here.
I personally believe that my purpose is to bring value to people by my spoken and written word. I’m a work in progress, but I love to write, and I’m surprising myself with how much I love speaking out in front of people what I’m passionate about.
What’s your purpose? Do you know what it is?
Let me get my teacher hat on and give you some homework…at some point soon, get out a piece of paper and a pen. Ask yourself these 6 questions to help you find your purpose. Write out the answers. I’m very big on introspection. I think every post and video I do, the word introspection comes out. I ask people all the time in my coaching business if they’re being introspective and asking these important questions.
Find Your Purpose
So, here are the 6 questions I want you to focus on.
1. What makes you smile or lights you up on the inside? Now I’m not talking about your grandchild, your puppy, your baby, your new vehicle, etc. What lights you up deep inside of you and makes you smile? It’s not easy to think of something right away, is it?
2. What did you do a long time ago and you loved doing it, but you forgot about it, because of LIFE? Pretend that your 10 year old self is beside you. Look at yourself and say, I remember you! I remember when you used to love coloring and painting and thought you’d be an artist. I remember you when you played the drums. I remember when you wrote stories.
What is it that you did as a child that you forgot about? That 10 year old self might be so upset right now that you’re not doing it anymore! Is it because we all have that negative committee in our heads that tells us we can’t do something?
3. What are the hobbies you have or the activities that you do that you get so consumed in, that you lose track of time? Is it crocheting, playing the piano, writing, singing, crafting, working on cars, helping people, volunteering? What are you passionate about doing?
4. What are you naturally good at? And before you say you’re not good at anything, I’m calling you out as a liar. We all have gifts and talents. What are you naturally good at that people reach out and ask you for help with? I’m not perfect. I have friends I reach out to all the time for help! So what are you good at?
5. What will you regret 10 years from now? Don’t you hate the words would have, could have, should have? I don’t want those words in my vocabulary! What will you regret? What will you hate to see on your death bed as something you should have done?
6. Pretend that you are at the very end of your life. And you’re in your chair with a smile on your face, feeling accomplished, and you knew you checked off your life goals. What would those goals be? What are those things you accomplished that are making you smile? Picture yourself as 80 or 90 years old. I want to look at myself and say, you did it!
Make A Mission Statement
So what do you do after you make this list? You’ve introspected. You’re ready. Stephen Covey – one of my favorite authors – talks a lot about mission statements. I want to share with you what it means to make a mission statement, according to Mr. Covey:
“A mission statement changes you because it forces you to think through your priorities carefully and to align your behavior with your beliefs.”
A mission statement helps you not float through life. It makes you stop your running around on the hamster wheel and prioritize deeply. It has 3 parts.
What do you want to do? Who do you want to help? What will be the result of that?
So, my next challenge for you after your complete your period of introspection is to make a mission statement for your life.
All Because of a Picture
Isn’t it funny that all these thoughts happened because I took that picture in front of my license plate? It was a reaffirmation to me that I need to be living out my purpose and bringing value to the world. You can help me keep achieving my purpose by sharing this post if you got value out of it. Pay it forward. My purpose is to bring value to others, and it takes a village sometimes!
