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In interviewing people from all walks of life, I asked, “What brings meaning
to your life?” There were many responses, but the majority essentially
said:
• Love (deep, caring relationships with the interconnected web of life
including people, animals, nature, and spirit)
• Meaningful work (a worthwhile way to contribute, grow, and make
a difference)
My research affirms what others have said through the ages: The pursuit of
passionate purpose and relationships along the way bring meaning to life.
A “two-four-six rule” is the basis for successfully pursuing passionate
purpose and reaping real rewards. The two-step formula is:
1. Follow the proven four-stage process.
2. Apply six success strategies.
Consider this metaphor. Think of the pursuit of passionate purpose as
a journey to a desired destination:
• The process is the step-by-step path you take to get from point A to
point B. Your whole self—head, heart, and hands—becomes a unif
ied vehicle to get you where you want to go. Your hands (body)
serve as the engine. Your heart (passion) is the fuel. Your head (intellect,
mind, or cognition) is the navigator guiding you along.
• The strategies are the principles of operation and lubrication that
keep the vehicle working eff iciently and moving forward on the
journey. They can also act as catalysts to convert your vehicle from
a bicycle into a sports car or rocket ship. Bring the proper people and
the rest of the interconnected web of life along as your travel companions
and support crew who provide encouragement, stimulation,
and all kinds of help.
Follow the Proven Process
First, discover what you value and your unique gifts—what you are passionate
about. Next, find a worthwhile purpose that aligns with your passion.
The purpose gives focus and passion fuels your pursuit. In pursuing
the purpose, you may need to change, grow, and accept as your journey unfolds.
Eventually, you assess progress. If you have achieved your goal or
done everything possible to reach it, you continue the cycle of your life by
reaff irming what you value and determining what is next. If not, you continue
the pursuit, perhaps with some adjustments.
This iterative, ongoing process, has four stages of
development:
1. Know and Nurture the Person (exploring who I am and what I value).
2. Find Passionate Purpose (determining what I want and do not want).
3. Pursue Purpose (establishing how I get it).
4. Assess Progress (evaluating how things are going and what is next).
The circular graphic is intentional in representing the process. The
hoop12 or mandala,13 which means “magic, sacred circle” in Sanskrit, can
be found in all cultures and periods of time as a symbol of wholeness. As
one of the essential shapes of creation, it corresponds to the cycle of life.
In following this process, you are on the hero’s journey,14 universally
found in myths and reality. You initially build a core foundation at home
(know the person), then go off to engage in a worthwhile cause (find and
pursue passionate purpose), overcome obstacles, eventually succeed, and
then come back home to be of service to the greater community (assess
progress and begin the cycle again).
Although movement is typically clockwise, movement between stages
can be multidirectional. It is possible to jump on the pursuit at any stage
and even move between stages while skipping one. You may start helping
a worthy cause (pursuing someone else’s purpose) without determining that
it is your own aim or that you are passionate about it. Later, it becomes
your own purpose, and as an unexpected consequence you get to know
yourself better. The late David Hawkins, professor emeritus of philosophy,
said, “We need to explore the relationship between means and ends. Purposes
grow out of situations. One may find the pursuit first and then this
brings the purpose.”
Pursuits over Time
Over time, this circular process can be viewed as a continuous, upward
spiral. The ascending movement depicts the passage
through eras of life.
While some people have a passionate purpose that consumes their entire
existence, others pursue simultaneous passionate purposes part-time. The idea of a purpose
seems unduly restrictive. Life can have many purposes—commitments, involvements,
and interests. Sometimes one is dominant, sometimes another.
Apply Success Strategies
There is more to the successful pursuit than following the four-stage process.
Success requires using six vital strategies throughout the journey.
1. Polarity Strategy
Polarities, or opposites, exist in all of life—including in ourselves. My participants
mentioned tension between their head and heart, between making
a difference and making a living, between family and work. In pursuing
passionate purpose, there is a polarity between the purpose (or intent) and
the results (or impact). The Polarity Strategy is about integrating all parts
of a person, organization, or system. Instead of seeing a polarity as a problem
to solve, Successful people honor opposites in life and allow
dynamic movement between interdependent poles. The synergy of two or
more poles working together in harmony is stronger and more stable than
the efforts of just one side.
2. Attraction Strategy
Successful people attract what they want by maintaining a broad
intention, while thinking, feeling, and taking action to get it. They direct
the energy of their head, heart, and hands and encourage other people and
resources in the web of life to help attain the purpose. In seeking a desired
outcome, you need to be clear about what you want, visualize getting it,
believe you will get it, talk as if you have it, feel passionately about getting
it, and take action to attain that purpose while being flexible and open to
the possibilities. Heart energy or passion about the outcome is the most
vital. The Attraction Strategy means holding a broad intention and opening
to opportunities that are everywhere, while thinking, feeling passionately,
and taking action to get what you want.
3. Persistence Strategy
Persistence is the act of steadily pursuing purpose despite hindrances or obstacles.
Successful people mindfully persevere with focused determination
toward their goal using a divide-and-conquer approach. Once
committed to a clear purpose or destination, they divide the journey into
parts and conquer the whole, piece by piece. Working with unremitting
will toward a portion until they make some progress, they establish a positive
feedback loop. The outcome is real rewards—tangible results, positive
feedback, and a stronger self with more confidence and passion, which fuels
the next pursuit stage.
4. Allowing Strategy
Allowing is also called surrender, nonresistance, letting go, or equanimity.
Successful people maintain clarity about what they want, while
they allow how they get it to unfold. They are receptive to options and
without attachment to a certain outcome, yet they remain persistent. The
Allowing Strategy is about surrendering, without interference, to the natural
f low, instead of struggling and resisting.
5. Connections Strategy
The most Successful people are connected to the web of life.
This support network includes the self and the right people, animals, plants,
spiritual forces, and environment. Participants in my study agree that
proper people are the greatest energizer for their pursuits and improper
people are the biggest hindrance. It is vital to build relationships with and
bring along on life’s journey the proper people and support web, which
serve as positive forces. Bring the proper people along and lessen the impact
of the improper ones.
6. Pack Strategy
When you go on a trip, you typically pack a bag. Successful people
use this success strategy to appropriately pack for the journey. They
bring along essential energizers, such as their whole self and supportive
people, while ridding themselves of draining forces, such as discouraging
people and limiting attitudes. | 
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