Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

kwmccarthy

Two Simple Questions

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Simply being On-Purpose® begins by asking the two simple questions of Purpose: Who am I?  Why am I here?  These pivotal questions engage our move away from self-centeredness toward a life of purpose.  Seeking meaningful answers to these two questions will alter your life for the better forever. 

Through my first three plus decades I hacked away to find answers to these questions.  In the 1980s a series of life changing events cut a tiny pass into the wilds of my heart and I experienced a moment in Eden.  I knew Joy for the first time – and it wasn’t about me.  But being me by abandoning me didn’t make sense.  I couldn’t trust that concept so I kissed bliss goodbye and retreated to the “security” of my old neighborhood – life on the Avenue.

But my old way of life had been rocked.  Before I didn’t know what I
didn’t know.  Now I knew there was a better place but it appeared
risky.  Treading on the new path felt so foreign.  Once I realized I
was living in the moment, the moment was gone.  I longed to live in
this new place, but I slid back into habits.

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My On-Purpose Pants!

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One of the oddities about an affluent society is our clothes closet.  Many of us who have gained a few pounds over the years have two and, sometimes, three sets of clothes.  I'm not talking seasonal clothing like winter and summer clothes.  No I'm talking normal, fat, and even fatter.  By the time most of us reach "even fatter," we've lost hope and finally given away the normal clothes settling for the fat and even fatter selection. 

Since I've been in the process of reprogramming my eating through the Take Shape For Life system, I've dropped over thirty pounds since April 3.  Yep, 30 pounds in 2 months.  My "even fatter" clothes began drooping on me within a couple of weeks.  After about a month, I was digging around into the "fat" set of clothes.  Now they're bagging. 

Over the weekend I bought two pair of men's pants and a pair of jeans – size 36!  My belts no longer fit either.  I've shrunk out of my 40s and 38s.  I was looking like a homeless guy with baggy pants.  Honestly, I can't remember wearing 36s.  There were none in my closet.  When I played a lot of competitive tennis – some 18 years ago – I was a size 34 tennis short.  So to wear a 36 is like rediscovering my youth.  What a joy for the baby boomer! 

I am still in my fat burning state.  Who knows, could 34s actually be in my life again?  Why not?  Honestly, the image of size 34 was so hopelessly erased from my self-perception that it is still hard for me to imagine it.  And I'm a guy with vision!  Yet I know it is not only possible, it is probable if I simply decide to commit to it.  My goal weight is 190.  At that weight the 36s will probably fit just fine.  Then again size 34 might be just the thing.

There isn't a day that goes by that someone doesn't ask me about my weight loss and tell me how good I look.  Never in my life have I had so many kind words spoken to me about my appearance.  Family, friends, and clients have asked for my help so I decided to get smarter about TSFL so I can better advise them rightly.  Plus, I love to learn.  I am such a fan of Take Shape For Life that I accepted the invitation by Dr. Andersen to be trained as a Health Coach.  I'll be trained by the best so I can help people be on-purpose with their health.  My wife, Judith, is really the person most interested in actually doing the day-to-coaching with coaching.  Together, we'll be learning.  I'm a zealot about this life changing program that has helped move me toward optimal health and away from disease.  I cannot NOT share it with you.

If you've done a want list and tournament on your Physical/Health Life Account and had "lose weight" show up as your top want, then TSFL may be the program just for you.  Do you have an on-purpose plan to trim down and keep off the weight?  Great!  If not, then let's connect… on-purpose.  Wouldn't you like to own a pair of on-purpose pants as well?

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

Profile: St. Lukes Cathedral Church, Orlando, FL

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Cathedral
Can a church be on-purpose? 

The Very Reverend Anthony P. Clark and I worked together to articulate the Purpose, Vision, Missions, and Values for this Downtown Orlando church. 

Purpose: Revealing Majesty

Vision: Shaping Living Stones

Missions:  Gather, Heal, Send, Renew

Attached is Pier Review, a publication by St. Luke’s Cathedral Church (pictured to the left). Beginning on page 2 is a more in-depth article by Dean Clark about being an on-purpose church.  You’ll also see that the cover article is about being on-purpose as well.

Yes, a church can be on-purpose.  The purpose statement for St. Luke’s requires a bit of historic perspective.  During the Dark Ages when many of the world’s great cathedrals will built the goal was for the common person to draw inspiration from the majesty of Christ.  These buildings were to be modest reflections of God’s glory despite their scale and beauty.  Here the average person could begin to get a sense of who God is.  While the physical presence provided a visual message and statement, it was truly the intent of the designers to stir the hearts of worshipers as to the overwhelming greatness of God and his love for them.  It seemed only natural then that Dean Clark seized upon such a powerful and meaningful articulation of a purpose statement like: Revealing Majesty. 

Please download and read the articles to learn more.

Download pr_june.pdf

Book Reviews & Recommendations

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In this category of the kevinwmccarthy.com blog, I’m reviewing and recommending books. 

For your convenience, I’ve included available links to amazon.com just in case you want to buy any of the books.  I have an associates arrangement with Amazon, so thank you in advance for any purchase you make.

Time Management: Myth or Missing Link

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Too much to do and not enough time to get it all done.  For most of us that means it
is time to turn to time management.  Courses and seminars in time
management, software packages, PDAs like the Palm, and good old
fashioned daily planners like a DayTImer, Franklin Covey Planner, or Day
Runner, all hold great promise to help you get your life on track.  And
they do!  Kinda.  Mostly.

Time management is a smokescreen masking an underlying
problem.  Sure time management systems allow you to manage events, set priorities, plan your day, and schedule your appointments.  But are you making progress in life or are you just moving around meetings and activities?  Have you just become more efficient at being ineffective?

Solve the underlying challenge of why you need time
management and your time management problems narrow significantly.  In the end, it isn’t the tools and technology or time management that make a difference.  It is you!

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It’s (Not) About Me

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Recently I was shopping at the local Publix grocery store.  Standing at
the checkout line was a trim woman in her thirties wearing a hot pink
T-shirt with the message, “IT’S ABOUT ME” in three-inch capital letters
trimmed by pink sequins.  I believe she’s right.  Pastor Rick Warren’s
book, The Purpose Driven Life, begins Day 1 with the statement. “It’s
not about you.”  I believe he’s right.

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How do I find my purpose in life?

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This is one of those questions that comes up hauntingly too often.
Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.

Please, allow me give you the short answer about finding meaning and purpose in your life so you can get started.

Grab a sheet of paper and a pen.
Answer the question, “Why do I exist?”
Write everything you can think.  Do a brain dump.
Once you’ve completed this, distill your pages into one page.
Then, distill your one page into a paragraph.
Reduce that paragraph to a sentence.
Reduce the sentence to two words.
The first word is an action verb or gerund (ends with an “ing” like liberating, awakening, or igniting).
The second word is an object.
Give these words a generic beginning of, “I exist to serve by…”
Now you have written your purpose statement.
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Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth

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Oprah Winfrey’s recent foray with Eckhart Tolle, the author the book, A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose has certainly engaged a huge segment of the population.  Tapping into people’s hunger for spiritual depth is one thing.  Delivering on the promise is another.

Here are some of the Great Question of Life that are often asked:

  • What is the purpose of life?
  • How do I find my purpose in life?
  • What is the meaning of life?
  • Is life meaningful?

[Read more…] about Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth