Successful people live for a powerful purpose.
George Bernard Shaw is one of my favorite playwrights. I always enjoy a production of one of his works. I quoted it in a recent article and would like to quote it again. He makes a great comment about how important personal clarity of purpose and direction is to his career and his success in life.
“This is the true joy of life: to be used for a purpose that you recognize as powerful; to be a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish lump of ailments and grievances that complains that the world will not dedicate itself to making you happy.”
He’s talking about two things here: achieving a lot, being a “force of nature,” and most importantly having a powerful purpose to direct that force. His clarity of purpose and direction provides his foundation. From it, you can build the successful life and career you want and deserve. The clearer and more powerful your purpose and direction are, the stronger your foundation will be.
I’m a guy from the sixties. After all these years my favorite recording artist is still Bob Dylan. My favorite Dylan song is “Forever Young.” He re-recorded it and recently re-released it. Pepsi picked it up and is using it in its ads that run at NFL games. I used one of the lines to introduce one of my books: “May you build a ladder to the stars and climb all the rungs.”
Take a look at some of the other lyrics…
“May your hands be always busy,
May your feet always be light,
Have a solid foundation
When the winds of change shift.”
By now you may be saying, “Get to the point, Bud.” I will do so. You can start your journey of success by clarifying your purpose in life. Why are you on this earth? What are you meant to do? I believe that the more powerful this purpose is, the more likely it is to succeed. A powerful purpose gives you that solid foundation “when the winds of change turn.”
I am here to help other people succeed in realizing their purpose. I think this is a pretty powerful purpose. I can help someone one day become president, or a Supreme Court Justice, or find a cure for cancer, or just be a loving and caring parent. This purpose anchors me. It keeps me going when I’m frustrated, or when I feel like giving up, or when I feel like I might be “good enough” not great.
The commitment to take personal responsibility for your career and success in life is another of the four points in my Common Sense Success System. And it’s what Bernard Shaw is talking about when he says “to be a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish lump of food and complaints that complains that the world will not dedicate itself to making you happy.”
Man, that guy could write — “selfish little ailments and complaints” — that’s really turning a sentence. What it means is taking personal responsibility, committing to it. Yes, things happen as you go through life. Some of these things are frustrating and can annoy you. But successful people react to frustrating things by choosing to react positively. They learn what they can from difficult situations and people and move on to bigger and better things. They are not a “selfish little clod of food and grievances.”
The common sense point here is simple. Success is based on four pillars; clarity of purpose and direction, a sincere commitment to take personal responsibility for your life and career, unwavering self-confidence, and competence in a few key areas. George Bernard Shaw’s quote on being used for a powerful purpose addresses the ideas behind developing his clear purpose and direction, and the importance of taking personal responsibility for his life and career. If you want to be successful, start by determining why you are on this earth, and then dedicate yourself to living that purpose every day of your life.