LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!

     I believe that many, if not most, of us do know what our purpose is in life.  It will vary from individual to individual which is great.  Your purpose doesn't have to match up with mine.  That would make a rather dull world for all of us.  Our personal purpose is individual to each of us which is how it should be.  Your purpose might be to improve the environment or to be the best at your given profession or job.  My mother was very much dedicated to raising her children as best she could and in later life being very involved in the lives of her grandchildren.  She had many other varied interests and pursuits but her children and grandchildren were especially near and dear to her heart.  
     It is great to have a purpose(s) in life but it doesn't really get me anywhere if I an not making a commitment to that purpose.  For me that means to dedicate time, attention and energy to my purpose, to commit myself to pursuing the end game.  Am I willing to walk the talk or just to talk the talk.  
     So now I have determined what purpose(s) I have in my life.  I have made that decision to commit sufficient time and energy to pursue my purpose.  Now I do need one more element-conviction.  I believe that I must live with conviction if I am to experience any real satisfaction as I age.  In my youth, it was much too easy to "talk the talk" as I could always start tomorrow as I foresaw many tomorrows in my future.  However, as I have aged I find that I have a certain restlessness present when I merely live life.  I have experienced a shift in my life from one being directed by requirements of others (my employer, raising a family, being part of the in-crowd) to one being directed by my own requirements.  I no longer answer to an employer, my children are raised and on their own and the in-crowd doesn't really matter much anymore.  
     What does matter to me is living a life that is satisfying and fulfilling.  This is where conviction enters into my life.  I can have all the purposes and commitments imaginable but if I am not living with conviction than I am not living a fulfilling life.  For me, living with conviction means to take responsibility for my actions.  Am I taking responsibility to pursue my purpose and commitment to that purpose?  How am I walking the talk in my everyday life?  This all implies and requires action on my part.  Thomas Carlyle said: "Conviction is worthless unless it is converted into conduct."  So I must actually do something not just think about doing something but to actually do it.  Our happiness and legacy are at stake here.  I read something the other day that I found pertinent.  I don't know who wrote it or where I read it.  I wish I did remember as I would like to give proper attribution to the author.  This is what I read: "There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different than the things we do."  Think about it.