“What’s The Big Idea?”

There’s another question we all hear from time to time, usually offered as a challenge to somebody’s behavior. So, on the first day back from our national holiday of thanks-giving (and overeating and shopping and football and travel), let’s challenge each other to think about this question in a slightly new light…

What’s the BIG IDEA of your LIFE?

Why are you here?

What is your PURPOSE?

What’s the purpose of purpose, anyhow?

The reason I’m interested in your answers is, literally, a matter of life and death. No kidding. Really. Pinky swear…

A growing body of research among tens of thousands of middle-aged and older people across the globe suggests that those who feel their lives have meaning (“why”) and purpose (“what”) have significantly better and longer lives than those who don’t.

Here’s some of the data:

Purpose makes you healthier: A 2005 study that followed 12,600 middle aged Europeans found that those who felt their lives had meaning had much lower rates of cancer and heart disease;

Purpose is associated with long life: The Blue Zones Project, a study of the world’s longest-lived peoples, discovered that “having a reason to get out of bed” was strongly correlated to living past the age of 100, and enjoying stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart attack and cancer, and more rapid healing from injury;

Working works, and retirement doesn’t: A 2005 study conducted by Shell Oil followed 3500 Shell employees. Those who retired at age 55 were twice as likely to die during the next two years as a matched group of people who kept working. A longer-term study tracked nearly 17,000 men and women over 12 years and found that those who retired early had a 51% higher mortality rate than those who stayed on the job;

Jackie Wilson was right: Belief in a higher power, and higher calling, can “lift you higher”–A 1999 study of 20,000 Americans found that churchgoers, regardless of faith tradition, were FOUR TIMES less likely to be depressed than their non- churchgoing neighbors. They outlive them, too. Whites who regularly attend religious services live an average of 7 years longer. Amazingly, blacks live 14 years longer.

Purposeful people don’t just live longer, they’re happier while they’re here. All these studies point to an emerging truth that “the life in your years can add years to your life.”

Hey, quality AND quantity. Sign me up.

So, back to our questions…

What’s the big idea of your life? Do you know WHY you’re here? WHAT are you living for?

If you struggle with HOW to go about defining a purpose for your life, here’s a practical, easy, and fun suggestion you can act on this week to get you started:

Intentionally create an undisturbed hour or two in a place all by yourself–a “WHEN” and a “WHERE” all your own. Slow down. Breathe. Then take up a pen and write down everything you LOVE in this life. People, places, things–sure, write them down. Savor the blessing of their presence in your life. Make sure to tune in especially to activities that bring you peace, joy, happiness, and a sense of accomplishment. Things you do really well, and maybe things you don’t do so well but you love to do, anyway. We call these your LOVE-TO’s, as in this example:

“I love to connect with people, and connect them to insights, knowledge, and wisdom I have come to know that they want to know to fulfill a larger PURPOSE.”

That’s one of my top three LOVE-TO’s. It’s one of the few “WHAT’s” in my life that connects to the big “WHY” I am here. It was a career-changing insight for me. I now have the pleasure and privilege to do this almost every day, often in a state of pure “flow” or joy that allows time to melt away as I serve others doing what I am uniquely designed to do. It is so enjoyable that I have no intention of ever retiring from this activity. As long as I’m able, I’ll be helping others this way.

Once you have a set of your own LOVE-TO’s written down, look for the story linking them. Chances are good that within that story lies your PURPOSE. More on this second step coming in the near future…

For now, just get going on your LOVE-TO’s.

WHAT are you waiting for?