It is never too late to be who you might have been.
~George Eliot
Today’s Blogger I Heart is a fellow I first followed in fragments, before my visits moved to frequent. We officially met in the middle of a series of sticks and stones barely missing our bones, about three weeks back. In the aftermath of the scuffle, I believe we both found ourselves with a sharpened respect for the other.
Tim is a life coach. I know, I know, time out, right? Being a life coach has to be the single best job in the world. Not only to you get to tell people what to do, they actually pay you to do it. When I try to tell people what to do, not only do they NOT give me money, they immediately change the subject .
Tim lays it down well. His posts are a wonderful mix of words and photos, piling together to prove a point. He goes on Daring Adventures often, you can check them out here. Without further ado, Tim Brownson:
A Sense of Purpose
Do you have some massive goals and dreams? I mean the big muvva’s that leave other people snickering or saying you need put the crack pipe down and return to reality at your soonest convenience? Do you want to be the first person on Mars, run a mile in under three and a half minutes, or discover the cure for cancer?
Huge goals are great, and I applaud you for having them, but if you’re going to achieve them you need a bit more than the ability to sit and daydream. You’re going to need plenty of self-confidence, a belief that you can do whatever it is you want to do and possibly the most important of all, a sense of purpose. Why it is you want to achieve whatever it is.
It’s a sense of purpose that drives the truly great. Do you think Bill Gates has a sense of purpose? What about Tiger Woods or Barrack Obama? You betcha they do, that’s what keeps them going when things get tough. Gates doesn’t need any more money, Tiger any more trophies or Obama to put his life on the line. They could all retire and take up the quiet life if they wished, but that would leave them empty and unfulfilled.
A sense of purpose is equally important with other less world-shattering goals. You could try and quit smoking, or be determined to quit because you want to play with your grand kids without an oxygen mask in 30 years. You could go on a diet and see what happens, or you could be determined that you’ll lose 25lbs for your high school reunion next year and show people how great you can look.
It really doesn’t matter what it is you want to achieve, a sense of purpose will make it infinitely more likely.
The Georgetown Coach Lou Little stood on the sideline watching the players practice shaking his head in disbelief. It was a Monday morning and to say that some of the guys were tanking it in would be an understatement. He blew his whistle, called everybody together in the center of the field, and started to let them know his feelings.
After ranting about commitment and desire he turned and pointed to Henry Peterson. “Look at this guy” the coach, said “He’s been on our team for four years and never played a down. He’s first at practice and last to leave. He studies film, works out in his spare time and never complains when he doesn’t start. This guy is the glue that holds our team together. I wish you guys could follow Henry’s example more often.”
In Henry’s senior year, Georgetown had the best season in the school’s history. They were due to play Fordham University with their last game to win the state championship. This was the biggest game in the schools history, and excitement was at fever pitch.
The Monday prior to the game Coach Little was walking off the field after practice when Henry approached him. Henry said that his father had passed away that weekend and that there was to be a memorial service for him that Saturday. Much to the coach’s amazement, Henry apologized and said that he needed to be at the service.
Coach Little told Henry to go with his blessing and as a mark of respect the team would say a prayer for his dad before each practice and they’d also dedicate the game to his memory.
On the morning of the big game the Coach was in his office going over some last minute plans for the game when the door burst open and Henry walked in.
“Henry, what are you doing here, I thought it was the memorial service this morning.” Coach Little said.
“It was coach, but I felt like I had to be here. This has been my family for the last 4 years and I know my dad would want me to be here”
“Well ok, if you’re sure. Of course it’s great to have you”
“Coach, can I ask a favor?”
“Sure Henry, anything for you, you know that”
“Coach, I want to start today”
“Well Henry, I know I said anything, but I’m really not sure about that. This is the biggest game in the schools history”
“If you start me coach, I promise that the first missed assignment, dropped ball or mistake of any type you can pull me out the game.
The Coach looked hesitant, but he could see something in Henry’s eyes that made him believe that this young man wasn’t going to let him down.
“Well, ok Henry, but one mistake and you’re out, ok?”
“You got it Coach” and with that Henry turned and left the coach looking rather bemused.
That day Henry Peterson made 15 tackles and assisted in 11 more. He caused one fumble, recovered another and had an interception for the winning touchdown as Georgetown beat Fordham. He was voted Most Valuable Player and in short played the kind of game that people are talking about 60 years later.
After the game Coach Little ran onto the field and hugged Henry.
“Henry, why didn’t you tell me you could play like that, I had no idea. I could have used you for the last 4 years, but I never saw it in practice.”
“Did you ever meet my father Coach?”
“No, I didn’t have that privilege. I saw you walking round the field arm in arm with him a couple of times and I’m sorry now I didn’t come and say hello”
“Well coach, my father was blind and today was the first time he got to see me play football”
That’s a sense of purpose and that demonstrates what YOU can achieve if you tap into your own.
If you’d like to visit Tim, you can do it here. If you’d like to cut to the chase and subscribe to his feed, you can to that here.
About Sean Platt
I love to see people learn. It is particularly gratifying if I am the teacher, however, I lack the patience to be a teacher in a class room environment. I have found that I work best one-on-one or in small teams. To that end, I have always been passionate about education.
So what is my purpose? Since I excel in the field of information technology, my purpose has been to further my career while applying my knowledge to better our education systems. If I can have a direct influence by working in academia, as I do now, all the better.
If not, I one day wish to be affluent enough to be a philanthropist who can focus on education. To reach this end, I will first garner the project management experience necessary to move up within my field. While doing this I want to start some businesses to build a brand.
Once the brand has traction, I can expand it and grow it while becoming a CEO or simply a CIO. With a self-sustaining business, I can concentrate on philanthropy and other ventures to further my career and my abilities to help others through it.
On a personal level, my purpose has been jump started since I met my soul mate. Together, we are going to build a family. We want to raise a couple of wonderful children who can one day achieve their purposes. We seek nothing more than the enjoyment of life with each other and those family and friends whom we love.
It may sound sappy, but that’s where my purpose lies. There is nothing in this work I savor more than the sound of my soul mate’s laugh when I am looking into her eyes and holding her close. That is the entire world in one moment. Beyond that, I’ve described my aspirations above.
Be well and thanks for this post.
Ians last blog post..Will Apple do a Search Engine?
I love to see people learn. It is particularly gratifying if I am the teacher, however, I lack the patience to be a teacher in a class room environment. I have found that I work best one-on-one or in small teams. To that end, I have always been passionate about education.
So what is my purpose? Since I excel in the field of information technology, my purpose has been to further my career while applying my knowledge to better our education systems. If I can have a direct influence by working in academia, as I do now, all the better.
If not, I one day wish to be affluent enough to be a philanthropist who can focus on education. To reach this end, I will first garner the project management experience necessary to move up within my field. While doing this I want to start some businesses to build a brand.
Once the brand has traction, I can expand it and grow it while becoming a CEO or simply a CIO. With a self-sustaining business, I can concentrate on philanthropy and other ventures to further my career and my abilities to help others through it.
On a personal level, my purpose has been jump started since I met my soul mate. Together, we are going to build a family. We want to raise a couple of wonderful children who can one day achieve their purposes. We seek nothing more than the enjoyment of life with each other and those family and friends whom we love.
It may sound sappy, but that’s where my purpose lies. There is nothing in this work I savor more than the sound of my soul mate’s laugh when I am looking into her eyes and holding her close. That is the entire world in one moment. Beyond that, I’ve described my aspirations above.
Be well and thanks for this post.
Ians last blog post..Will Apple do a Search Engine?
Kelly: Nice to have you. I hope you like what you see.
Ian: Again, wow. Your list of goals and my co-list with Daisy… an awful lot of overlap. One of these days we’re just going to have to shake hands.a
Kelly: Nice to have you. I hope you like what you see.
Ian: Again, wow. Your list of goals and my co-list with Daisy… an awful lot of overlap. One of these days we’re just going to have to shake hands.a
AHHHHHHHhhhhhh! I need the tissues! Having a purpose makes all the difference in the world. I believe we can easily give our general purpose but to fine tune it so it is clear to ourselves I think is harder to do. How do you go from a general belief to a clear signal? I figure you, as the wonderful life coach that you are, would have something to contribute to this question.
Sean, your guest posts have definitely improved. Tim is a wonderful choice. He’s a top quality guy. He’s my all time favorite liberal. ;O)
AHHHHHHHhhhhhh! I need the tissues! Having a purpose makes all the difference in the world. I believe we can easily give our general purpose but to fine tune it so it is clear to ourselves I think is harder to do. How do you go from a general belief to a clear signal? I figure you, as the wonderful life coach that you are, would have something to contribute to this question.
Sean, your guest posts have definitely improved. Tim is a wonderful choice. He’s a top quality guy. He’s my all time favorite liberal. ;O)
Laurie: Writer Dad writes them all himself you know. He just borrows the names fo people he sees on his travels. :D
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Why Cleaning Your Toilet Could Be Bad For Your Children’s Health
Laurie: Writer Dad writes them all himself you know. He just borrows the names fo people he sees on his travels. :D
Dave Fowlers last blog post..Why Cleaning Your Toilet Could Be Bad For Your Children’s Health
@ David- LOL ! I figured he did!
My first purpose is to develop my relationship with God. After that my purpose it inspire others to be passionate about our world from a scientific standpoint seeing the huge and microscopic as wonders to be marveled, and inspire teachers to want to be masters at teaching science. I also am purposed to love and care for my family.
@ David- LOL ! I figured he did!
My first purpose is to develop my relationship with God. After that my purpose it inspire others to be passionate about our world from a scientific standpoint seeing the huge and microscopic as wonders to be marveled, and inspire teachers to want to be masters at teaching science. I also am purposed to love and care for my family.
@ Laurie – Of course as a world class life coach I do know the answer to that question. But I’m also a world class pain in the ass so you’ll have to wait for the answer ;-)
There have been a to of vague answers and that’s no more than I expected. Most people seldom stop and think about this stuff even if they should.
I think Ian is the winner and if you want to e-mail me I can arrange to send you the book.
PS Don’t go sneaking a comment in now and expecting some freebies, I’m not that stupid.
I can’t work out who the runners up are, but if anybody that has commented wants a copy of the e-book, e-mail me and I’ll send it to you gratis.
tim at adaraingadventure dot com
Tim Brownsons last blog post..What’s Your Sense Of Purpose?
@ Laurie – Of course as a world class life coach I do know the answer to that question. But I’m also a world class pain in the ass so you’ll have to wait for the answer ;-)
There have been a to of vague answers and that’s no more than I expected. Most people seldom stop and think about this stuff even if they should.
I think Ian is the winner and if you want to e-mail me I can arrange to send you the book.
PS Don’t go sneaking a comment in now and expecting some freebies, I’m not that stupid.
I can’t work out who the runners up are, but if anybody that has commented wants a copy of the e-book, e-mail me and I’ll send it to you gratis.
tim at adaraingadventure dot com
Tim Brownsons last blog post..What’s Your Sense Of Purpose?
Wow, great writing Tim! To be honest I almost didn’t read this because of time constraints, but something was telling me I should. This is the kind of story that stops you in your tracks and makes you think.
My main thought is that all the hard work will pay off and it will be significant. Thanks you for this!
Cheers,
Jeremy
Jeremy Days last blog post..Why Good Design Matters
Wow, great writing Tim! To be honest I almost didn’t read this because of time constraints, but something was telling me I should. This is the kind of story that stops you in your tracks and makes you think.
My main thought is that all the hard work will pay off and it will be significant. Thanks you for this!
Cheers,
Jeremy
Jeremy Days last blog post..Why Good Design Matters
Thanks Tim on a beautiful outlook on just how a sense of purpose can help us acheive short and long term goals you keot your sense of purpose and did what you had to do.