If you are going down the interstate and the low fuel light pops on, you automatically start looking for an upcoming exit with a gas station.
Similarly, if you are traveling and get hungry, you look for an exit with food availability.
Where’s the off-ramp though when you are emotionally exhausted or mentally drained? Where’s the flashing light when we are struggling through uncertainty, dealing with disappointment, or searching for significance?
Those issues are just as real as the vehicle needing gas and our bodies needing food. However, the solution to those issues is often more complex.
While good friends, wise counsel, and prayer are all vital elements that play a role, let me suggest three key foundational elements as a starting point.
Identity: What do you want to be known for?
When we can clearly articulate who we are, we are less susceptible to allowing others to define us. When we are comfortable with identity, we are more grounded in our convictions, beliefs, and standards. With a firm foundation of identity, we can better withstand the challenges of life.
2nd Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation”.
My identity is wrapped in three focus areas: follower of Jesus, coach, and athlete.
Those three areas embody what I want to be known for, what others should see in me, and where I emphasize my daily habits. My days are focused on seeking to follow my Savior, to impact others, and to invest physically and mentally to be better each day.
Purpose: What are you pursuing?
Purpose is an ongoing endeavor that should never stop. So many consider a goal as being a purpose with an end game. Goals are great, but they are just mile markers along the way. Purpose has no finish line.
Purpose outlives achievements and accomplishments. Purpose is an ongoing process to “make it better”, to have more impact, or to reach one’s potential.
My purpose for the last few years is found in Matthew 5:16: “To let my light shine before others, so that they may see good works and give glory to God”.
You can see where my identity aligns with that purpose to provide meaning to each day regardless of the circumstances encountered.
Mindset: What will you choose?
Life is full of choices. We make many choices every day that we give little or no thought to in the moment, and there are huge choices that shape the direction of our life. There are also quite a few choices somewhere between those extremes that impact the quality of our life!
We can choose bitter or better when things don’t go our way. We can choose to be crushed by disappointment or to dust ourselves off and press on. We can be controlled by the uncertainty of tomorrow or focus on the day at hand.
Life will not seem fair, it will be hard, and the future is full of uncertainty. Those are real things to accept. However, our lives will ultimately be shaped not by the degree of difficulty, but rather by the choices we make.
Philippians 3:13-14 “But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on…”.
Those three items: Identity, purpose, and mindset can be foundational elements to a fulfilling life. That life won’t necessarily look like anyone else’s. It will be uniquely designed for you and your personal fulfillment.
John 10:10 Jesus stated, “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly”.
Invest some time with those three key questions. You might discover just how special you are and find the fulfillment you are searching for in life. You are just one decision, one choice, one habit away from a new life!
Doug equips leaders to make organizations better. He has two leadership books available on all online platforms. Whether you are looking for a speaker for your next event or a leadership coach to develop people and build an authentic team, contact Doug at doug.strickel@gmail.com and learn more about PLUS.
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