The Exciting Life!

Posted on December 06, 2008 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.

“Without meaning, human life quickly degenerates. The human person not only wants to live, but also wants to know why to live.” - Henri Nouwen.

Victor Frankl, the psychiatrist who wrote about his experiences in a German concentration camp during the Second World War, shows convincingly that without definite purpose and meaning, our lives will quickly drift toward death.  Death spiritually, emotionally, or even physically. On the other hand, it is possible to live through very difficulties and hardships when we believe that there is still someone, or something, worth living for.

As a leader, I want to live, and help others to live a life of meaning and purpose.  But this is not always easy to accomplish. Over the years, I have found it remarkable how many people never take time to clarify their unique purpose – to accurately define for what, and why they want to live.  They are just too distracted or busy.

It is like the world is conspiring to prevent us from reflecting on this all-important issue, resulting in many people finding themselves very busy… yet quite bored.  They have many things to do, and are running to get them all done, but beneath this hectic activity, they wonder if anything is really happening.  They sense their life falling into a complex, yet boring routine.

As a leader, we need to continually remind and guide those around us on their quest to define, renew, and center their lives on the solid foundation of meaning, truth, and purpose.  This is not easy in this world of distractions, but the first step in helping others live this kind of life is to be living this type of life ourselves.

CHALLENGE: What part of your life needs to be realigned back toward your unique purpose and mission?