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The year 2023 is the one — the year you take command of your life and live the life you want to live. The question is how do you live the life you’ve dreamed of, positively impacting the world, and leaving a legacy for the future? Every life is made up of a million small decisions and if you aren’t intentional in those moments, life will just slip through your hands. It is up to you to take responsibility for your own life, assuming command of your values, purpose and vision — no more passivity! The first step is choosing to live an intentional life. Are you ready?
How to Live Intentionally
Dale Carnegie is often quoted as saying, “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living.” It is what makes living an intentional life a powerful idea many people miss. In writing Take Command, Find Your Inner Strength, Build Enduring Relationships, and Live the Life You Want, my co-author, Michael Crom, and I believed this had to be an integral component to take Carnegie’s principles several steps further. We pose several key questions: “Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in life? Have you stopped to think about your intentions for your life?” Everyone goes day to day, checking off to-do lists, and when the final check is marked, many years have gone by.
To live intentionally, you have to find your “why.” What do you want to accomplish? How do you want to live? What contribution do you want to make? What is important to you? What drives you? When you answer these questions, you quickly discover your why and gain a compelling vision for yourself and your future.
Defining your values is the first step to living an intentional life. Your values are the fundamental beliefs that guide and motivate you to achieve your goals. Take the time to ponder and define your unique values and write them down. They are crucial in guiding your decisions and directing you in the most challenging situations to live your purpose and fulfill your vision.
Atop the foundation of your values, you need to define your purpose — what inspires you and keeps you going. Your “small p” purpose is based on your current life situation, the goals and objectives which change as you change and grow. It can be quite different throughout the various stages of your life. Your “Big P” purpose is deeper, beyond mere goals and objectives. Your “Big P” purpose is overarching and may be constant but can also change over time. Your “Big P” guides and directs you no matter how much your life changes. How can you define your purpose? Write out a mission statement with your purpose and the life you’re working toward. If you get stuck, try this formula, “I will [do something] for [someone] by [using the skills I have] to [accomplish a result].” Alongside your values, your purpose comes down to responsibility and always leads to living a life of intention.
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Craft Your Vision
With your values and purpose clearly defined, the next step to living the life you want is crafting a vision. Your vision is the way you use your values and your purpose to impact the world. Where do you want to be? What do you want people to say about you? What do you want to accomplish? What are you passionate about? What will you have to do to achieve what you want? As you work to craft your vision, be honest with yourself. Your vision should never be based on what is important to others but what truly matters to you. Dream big. Think lofty thoughts. There are no limits. You have to craft your vision based on what you want to contribute to the world.
Your vision, like your purpose, may change along the way because it is directional. If your life shifts, if your values change, your vision will change to accommodate your intentional life. Your vision should never be a burden or keep your life stagnant if it no longer resonates with you. Once you have crafted your vision, share it. Why? No one accomplishes anything alone. Everyone goes farthest with the support of family and friends. As you talk about your vision, always remember it is yours to reassess as you move forward intentionally, taking command toward the life you want to live.
Make a Difference
Every day contains the potential for joy, connection, meaning, and contribution. How are you using the time you have? What impact do you want to make on your community, on the world? Nearly everyone dreams of making their mark on the world, making the world a better place. How? You can live a life of intention and meaning, dedicate your life to doing good, and making the world a better place. Making a difference comes from discovering your inner purpose and living a life of service to create a legacy that lasts far beyond your life on this planet. You contribute to a better world when you look for opportunities and help out where you can. You can work or volunteer at a non-profit, start a company and use it for good, choose a career that aligns with your values and purpose or donate to a cause.
Living intentionally, crafting your vision and truly impacting people to make a difference in the world is the indisputable route to taking confident control of your life. The year 2023 is poised to be your year, the year you live the life you want to live, making a difference in the world today and leaving a legacy for the future.
