How I Made My Life Great Again Focusing On Purpose Vs Pleasure
I have to start this article out on an extremely positive note and state that life is ALWAYS great!!! There’s always massive abundance, prosperity, and joy occurring on this planet; despite what the new headlines tell us. Just think about this analogy when it comes to life. The sun is always shining. Even when it’s raining, storming, or a full out hurricane; the sun is still shining brightly. We just don’t see it there are clouds, and rain, and thunder, and lighting disrupting our view.
As I write this I’m reminded of Denzel Washington’s 2012 movie “Flight”. In the movie, he plays a pilot that is always under the influence of alcohol; that surprisingly doesn’t impair his ability to pilot the plane. But I bring this up to recall a scene in the movie where a storm was occurring as the plane began to take off. As you can imagine, there was turbulence, lightning, and darkness. Denzel being the pilot was calm and collected and tapped into his training proceeding to give orders to his crew to navigate through the storm. On a monitor that displayed weather patterns, Denzel notices a “slither” on the screen they could get through that would lead to their cruising altitude. He then took control of the wheel, said a prayer, endured the turbulence; and before you knew it the plane was in the clear. Above the clouds; the sun was shining, the sky was clear, and they began to cruise! It almost sounds spiritual!
Last Thanksgiving I self-published my first book; “The 180 Effect: Homeless To Business Owner In One Decision”. I document my story of turning over a new leaf in my life in 2013. Of course, there was difficulty and the path was full of adversity, but my life was always great! As long as there is a breath in my body the sun is always shining. And despite certain circumstances being non-pleasurable and disastrous; we must keep the long-term vision/purpose in mind to persevere through and make it through the slither. Here are 3 ways I made it through my personal slither and made it to a cruising altitude:
1 Take Control Of The Wheel: I laughed typing that because of the phrase; “Jesus take the wheel”; becoming so popular lately. It seems like it’s become second nature in society lately to delegate control of our life. Whether it’s to whomever you pray to, the government, your job, your parents, etc. As soon as we feel the slightest sense of displeasure we want to throw in the towel, sit and pray, and hold our breath! But the higher up has already laid out the process. we must take control, tap into our purpose, and make progress!
2 Endure The Turbulence: It’s a natural instinct to want to retreat or jump back once we feel pain. Equivalent to our hand touching a hot stove or being electrocuted. But in life, we must endure the pain to get on the other side of pain which is pleasure, but the pleasure of walking on purpose in life. Same as lifting weights or the process of a pregnancy. Sure there’s temporary pain, but it’s going to lead to something great on the other side of it.
3 Get Above The Clouds: Trust me I get it! It’s easy to get caught up in and engulfed in the current storms and adversity we experience. But we must keep the long-term vision in mind and not be distracted by the temporary hardships. There has to be something that’s going to pull you through the pain and displeasure, and that’s your purpose!
To conclude; when it comes to Purpose Vs Pleasure; the verdict is focusing on both!(PLOT TWIST) Experiencing pleasure is a by-product of focusing on your purpose. It’s an “Award Along The Way”. Focusing on pleasure will leave you frustrated, discouraged, and lacking progress. However taking control, enduring the adversity, and focusing on getting on the other side of pain will reap more pleasures and luxuries in life than you ever imagined!
Click here to purchase an autographed copy of my book where I cover principles like these and more! Email me at the180effect@gmail.com for help with finding your purpose. Comment thoughts below and please share this article with someone that needs to read it!
#BeBrilliant
