Finding Your True North: Aligning Your Life With Purpose

The Crossroads

Jake stood at his office window, staring at the cityscape below. The corner office, the executive title, the generous salary—he had achieved everything society deemed "successful."

Yet as he clutched the performance award they'd just presented him, he felt strangely hollow. Three decades of climbing the ladder had brought him here, but to what end?

His health was suffering, his relationships were strained, and despite all external measures of success, a nagging question kept surfacing: "Is this really what my life was meant for?"

That evening, while cleaning out an old drawer, Jake found a letter he'd written to himself in college—full of dreams about making a difference, about work that mattered, about living with purpose.

The gap between those aspirations and his current reality struck him with unexpected force. Standing at this crossroads, Jake realized he faced the most important decision of his career: continue on the path of achievement for achievement's sake, or realign his considerable talents with something deeper, something that might actually fulfill the promise he'd once made to himself.

Have you ever wondered what truly matters in the journey of life? What if the destination isn't what we've been led to believe?

Dr. Jim Loehr, Chairman and Co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, has spent over three decades helping elite performers across business, sports, medicine, and law enforcement unlock their full potential. His insights challenge our conventional thinking about success and fulfillment in profound ways.

The Three Most Important Days of Your Life

Mark Twain famously said, "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." Dr. Loehr brilliantly adds a third critical day:

"The day you decide to align yourself and your energy with that why."

This alignment is what I call your Life's GPS—the essential coordinates needed to navigate your journey successfully:

• Knowing your destination: Where are you ultimately headed? What's your "getting home" plan?

• Understanding your current position: Where do you stand right now in relation to that destination?

The Twin Gifts of Life

Life has bestowed upon us two extraordinary gifts:

• Consciousness: Our awareness and ability to perceive

• Energy: Our capacity to make things happen

This second gift is particularly powerful. Nothing moves, nothing changes, nothing happens until energy causes it to do so. The question then becomes: where will you direct this precious gift of energy?

What Truly Matters?

When surveyed about what people want most for their children, four answers consistently top the list:

• Happiness

• Good character

• Achievement

• Health

But here's the challenging question: Are these what we ultimately want on our tombstones? "The Dude was Happy" or "The Dude was Healthy"?

Dr. Loehr points out something profound: leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi weren't primarily pursuing happiness. They were striving for something greater—a purpose beyond themselves that might outlive them.

The Paradox of Achievement

This leads us to some thought-provoking questions:

• Can you be a high achiever but not happy?

• Can you be a high achiever but not a good person?

• Can you be a high achiever but lose your health?

• Can you not be a high achiever but still be a good person?

• Is it possible to achieve all four?

The answer, I believe, lies in placing moral and ethical character at the center of your life, making it the foundation from which all decisions flow.

The Selfless Path to Fulfillment

What I've learned both personally and through studying leaders like Dr. Loehr is that selflessness is the key attribute for leading yourself effectively. When you do things for others rather than yourself, the pressure lifts because it's no longer about you.

This realization transforms how we think about our core desires:

• Health becomes tied to a life purpose beyond yourself.

• Happiness connects to what you bring to others.

• Achievement is only truly won through character.

The 6 Words Test

Here's a powerful exercise I'd encourage you to try today:

• Best Self: Write down 6 words that describe you at your absolute best

• Tombstone: Write down 6 words you want on your tombstone when you've lived at your highest level

Take time to reflect on these words. What changes might you need to make for your "tombstone words" to become your legacy?

Just as we build physical muscle through exercise, we can develop our moral character, encompassing kindness, compassion, and integrity, through consistent practice and self-reflection. These are the muscles that will determine your ultimate moral scorecard.

The Center of the Wheel

At life's core, who you are and who you're becoming matter most. The spokes of achievement, happiness, health, and character all connect to this central hub.

The profound truth?

You justify your life by giving it away to others. It was never about you in the first place, but about what you contribute to the world around you.

Your Highest Priority

In leading yourself well, your moral scorecard has no equal. The only genuine way to win in life is through character.

Key Takeaways: Realigning Your Life Compass

• Purpose Beyond Self: True fulfillment comes from aligning your energy with a purpose that transcends personal gain—find something worthy of your life's investment.

• Character at the Center: Place moral and ethical character at the core of all decisions—this is the only foundation that will sustain all other aspects of success.

• The GPS Framework: Regularly assess both your destination (where you're headed) and your current position (where you stand now) to stay on course.

• Energy Follows Intention: Your energy is a precious resource—consciously direct it toward what matters most rather than letting it scatter across competing priorities.

• The Muscle of Morality: Develop your character muscles through daily practice—kindness, compassion, and integrity grow stronger with consistent exercise.

• The Legacy Question: Use the 6 Words Test to clarify the gap between who you are today and who you aspire to be remembered as, then make the necessary changes.

• Selflessness Relieves Pressure: When your focus shifts from self-achievement to contribution, the weight of performance anxiety often lifts, allowing for more authentic accomplishment.

What steps will you take today to align your energy with your purpose? How might shifting your focus from self to others transform your journey? I'd love to hear your thoughts as we walk this path together.

Remember: The true measure of your life won't be what you accumulated, but what you contributed. Start living that legacy today.