Tips, Trends, & Techniques

Is Your Life Getting Better?

September 8, 2015 By kwmccarthy

Note: The video mentions an upcoming On-Purpose Leader Teleseminar. For this updated On-Purpose Minute, I instead want to refer you to the Power of Your 2-Word Purpose Statement webcast, linked below.

Are you or is someone dear to you the proverbial “victim of circumstances”? Don’t Be! A victim of circumstances is a person in an unfortunate position, but those circumstances need not dictate your future.

You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can manage your responses. Resigning to your current set of circumstances can be negatively habit-forming and send you in a downward spiral. This response means that you’re on the fast track to becoming a victim, no longer of circumstances, but of self-inflicted circumstances.

Choose a better option. In this On-Purpose Minute, we’ll be looking at how you can order your life around a different, healthier perspective of managing your life.

Are you ready to finally know your purpose in life — in two words! Yes, your life will get a whole lot better by being on-purpose.

The Power of Your 2-Word Purpose Statement may be just the introduction for you to order your life, define what’s most important, and begin living as an on-purpose person in creation.

Are You Happily Distracted?

February 5, 2015 By kwmccarthy

Warning: This On-Purpose Minute blog post has a sting. Proceed with caution.

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We live in the entertainment economy. We’re so immersed in it that we’re like fish who don’t realize they’re swimming in water.

For example, the February 1 NFL Super Bowl XLIX drew an estimated 114.4 million viewers. Admittedly, I was one of them taking in the game, commercials, and halftime. Pro football is my sports distraction of choice along with suspense thrilling movies and TV shows.

I know these next two paragraphs will be controversial, but here goes anyway. When halftime performer Katy Perry rode out on a giant golden lion, Moses came to my mind. Remember Moses (Exodus 32) coming down the mountain with the 10 Commandments and seeing the people with a golden calf. Despite being delivered from Egypt, led through the Red Sea, and fed with manna from heaven, the people were easily distracted with images of gold.

Now compare tens of thousands in a packed stadium cheering and the millions of us at homes and parties who were glued to the TV in utter fascination as this tiny singer decked in flames entered the arena strapped atop the golden king of the jungle. And we wonder why the Jihadists call us the Great Satan. Seen through their eyes and without context, we look like worshipers of false gods “deserving” of punishment. The difference of course was that God didn’t smite the Israelites, but thanks to Moses’ intervention they received mercy and grace, not murder and mayhem.

I share my disturbing vision to shock you out of the depth of the “entertainment immersion” to invite you to breathe the fresh air of a life lived more thoughtfully and fully alive. Think of this message as CPR for the soul.

Be sure to invest yourself in the matters of life that matter the most. Go more deeply into the discovery of knowing who you are, how you were designed, and the difference your life can make in the world of the “happily distracted” who are filled but unfulfilled.

Distractions abound in an ADHD-paced schedule and life. Distractions prevent us from getting to clarity and building lives of maturity, depth, and greater contribution. When distractions become our way of life, the way of our life is passing us by.

How many times have you said, “I just want to be happy”? Perhaps you’ve said it about your children, too. To be happy is certainly a worthy emotional state.

Image via Wikipedia

Dare I ask …

Is happiness the true gold standard for the ideal emotional state?

Can we always be happy?

Are we entitled to happiness?

Yes, I believe in the book title from the Minirth Meier New Life Clinic, Happiness is a Choice. I’m happy to be happy!

Perhaps my age is showing with my questions (and answer). Hopefully, I’m not a cynic, but a keen observer of the human condition. The “pursuit of happiness” as we understand and apply it in the 21st Century may actually not be in our long-term best interest. Too often the pursuit of happiness is the unhealthy avoidance of reality. Denial and distraction are a dangerous one-two combination that take us down an unhealthy path of avoidance.

Happiness, for all its good as it is in use today, is a fleeting, temporary, or surface emotion. Happiness is circumstantial and has the effect of drug tolerance. What it takes to makes us happy tends to get ramped up over time. We need more and bigger to satisfy our happiness quotient.

The more enduring emotions are love, joy, and peace because they are attitudes of choice, not circumstances. The matter becomes, not what can I do to be happy but can I be at peace regardless of my circumstances.

Viktor Frankl in his book Man’s Search For Meaning profoundly observed that those who survived in Nazi prison camps had a compelling reason and will to live. In essence, they made peace with their circumstances and captors. They lived until another day because they had a purpose, a reason for being.

Pursuing your purpose (instead of happiness) opens the back door to the prosperous and joyful life of being more at peace. Get off the “happy drug” of distractions. Stop paying the high price of avoiding being the true you.

Frankly, we need you to be more of you. You’re the only one who can be you.

What is the Future of Learning?

July 10, 2014 By kwmccarthy

Today's On-Purpose Minute is different for me. I'm sharing this message plus adding my comments below. It is longer than normal, but I thought it an investment worth taking for yourself and those whom you mentor or would like to mentor you.

EVERYONE is a short film by my colleague Nic Askew. He continues his series of intellectually stimulating and visually engaging film topics. I so appreciate his work on getting to the soul of important matters. My comments follow, along with more information on Nic and Mimi Ito Fisher.

In this short video below Mimi Ito of Connected Learning presents a compelling vision of the future of education with technology as well as a gentle indictment of the current educational system and structure. She's pointing the way to my 1998 prediction of the Age of Purpose and Meaning—the age beyond the Information Age—a time where relationships will be the currency of greatest open value.

Purpose will be your strategic advantage in the future, but not a strategic weapon to lord over others. Truly, every person is equal in that we each have a purpose in life. The quality and contribution of that expression of purpose adds value on various dimensions and value to society.

In a world awash with opportunity, the power of knowing who you are will make all the difference in your capacity and ability to make a difference. For decades now, I've been encouraging my readers to "Explore Your Possibilities." Today, the capacity to do that is richly available via the Internet, peer learning, and mentorship.

Judith and I are a part of a learning and serving collaboration as Health Coaches under the guidance and support of Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen. Yes, we offer health coaching services to clients and help them gain health. But as coaches, it can be one of the richest of places to learn, mature, and gain free mentorship. Truly, we're learning and earning while caring for and being ourselves, prospering ourselves and others, and guiding others to do the same. It is an amazing experience and a large part of why I'm involved. Admittedly, health coaching isn't for everyone, but for those who have compassion for people carrying burdens, have a genuine interest in health, and are willing to learn and work, it is life-giving and meaningful work.

It is, after all, hard to be on-purpose if one is unhealthy. Our health reveals our life. We wear our worries on our faces. We carry our cares in our heart. We suckle ourselves with touch and nourishment. Our gut reveals our violations of that we hold dear. Clarity or cloudiness of mind is tied to our vision.

So why settle for a sense of purpose when you can know your purpose? Goldplate or 24 karat gold—you choose. You'll learn by trial and error and you'll learn from mentors, but why not learn from mentors more often. The professors in The School of Hard Knocks are harsh.

What To Do About Your Future

Circulate in your areas of interest for mentors. I remember coaching Little League baseball and try-outs. The engaged kids always stood out to the managers making the picks. Your carriage and your sincere attitude matter. Put yourself where your heart is.
Explore Your Possibilities by going deeply into things. Be curious. Search the web for information, and also search for people to follow.
Read different points of view. Be respectful and gracious on blogs, forums, and places where you post. Hiding rudely behind an online avatar may feel safe, smug, and secure, but rudeness is a matter of the heart. You're not hurting anyone but yourself by being an ass, if it is covered.
Ask questions about things you're curious about. Get to know people. Learn to develop a structured conversation where you're going deeper than the typical cocktail party idle chatter. Check out my daughter Anne's iLifeChat website. She is young and the concept is young, but it is so sound.
Be healthy. Less than optimal health is a compromised mind, body, spirit, and soul. Reclaiming health takes time, but it can be done. Yes, losing weight will get your body healthier, but expect the mind and spirit to follow. Good health also saves money for you and your health care plan.
Facebook friends and likes are not real friends and real likes. Real friends and real likes are available, face-to-face, over the phone, holding hands, hugging, and soul bearing buddies. I know you. You don't have enough of those kinds of people in your life. Trolling the surface of life on social media may offer comforting distraction from the real desire, but it's a placebo for on-purpose pals.

Learning of the future begins by learning about you. Your purpose, vision, mission, and values will enrich and inform your life. Perhaps this video and my comments have done the same for you.

Be On-Purpose!
Kevin

About Nic and Mimi

EVERYONE from Nic Askew on Vimeo — You'll find more of Nic's videos there.

Mimi Ito's weblog: http://www.itofisher.com/mito/

Connected Learning and Mimi Ito

Hey! Can You Keep A Secret?

March 6, 2014 By kwmccarthy

There's a reason dirty little secrets are called "dirty." No, I won't keep you in suspense wondering why. They are dirty little secrets because they leave us dirty regardless of whether we are the recipient or the teller of secrets.

Feeling dirty is the personal effect, but there's a larger, more devastating corporate consequence that pulls down innocent victims of these simple acts of foul play. In the end, we begin to ask, "Can I TRUST You?"

Today's On-Purpose Business Minute will hopefully get you to reconsider your participation in the act of dirty little secrets.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

P.S.: Here's something we don't want to keep secret. RE:CALIBRATE!

If you're in a season of trying to make sense of life and searching for direction and meaning, yet you're unsure what's right for you, then it is time to RE:CALIBRATE. Here are 8 power-packed sessions of personal leadership development with Kevin W. McCarthy that is sure to help you go while raising the trajectory of your life and work. Click the logo to learn more.

What Is Your Cost of Being Off-Purpose?

September 10, 2013 By kwmccarthy

Put on your financial hat for an On-Purpose Minute. If I asked you to pay me $1.22 to help you save a portion of $1,000, would you “risk” it? Most likely, yes. It is an easy business decision. In fact, you would probably ask, “What’s the catch?” There is a catch!

Prior to the 30-minute webcast of The POWER of Your 2-Word Purpose Statement (watch here), I conducted a survey of registrants. One of the survey questions was, “If you had to put a U.S. dollar figure on being disadvantaged without or a weak purpose, vision, or mission statement, which best reflects your cost of being ‘off-purpose’?”

The multiple choice answers can be found in the first seven columns (see chart below) plus “Other.” Over 47% of those surveyed indicated the cost of being off-purpose was over $1,000,000. Astonishingly the write-in text for the “Other” included words like immeasurable, incalculable, and priceless. At 22% it ranked highest. Not bad for an un-choice!

To be on-purpose, you need to make an intentional choice to actually do something about it. The ROI is amazing, especially for those in the 47% group. Immeasurable, incalculable, priceless? Yes!

What Are Your Answers To Life’s Great Questions?

September 3, 2013 By kwmccarthy

Dare You Risk Leading Your Life Better?

The On-Purpose Leader Experience Early Bird Savings End Sept. 4

Click the links at the bottom of this post and the discounts will already be applied.

Here they are: The 7 Great Questions about life that haunt us until we answer them, deny them, or simply overwhelm them in a soulless chase for gain and/or pleasure.

Who am I?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?
How will I get there?
What is important?
Is life meaningful?
Does God exist?

You may think, With all I have to get done, I realistically don't have time to mess with these questions. Here's a tip for life: until you begin answering these questions, they will mess with your life. The sooner you start, the better off you'll be.

Don't put your life on hold until you have definitive answers. Simply, explore your possibilities. Make it a joyous adventure of daily discovery as the layers of your life unfold before you with a sense of wonder and excitement.

Think it's impractical with all you've got going on? Hardly! There's a hard dollar cost to being off-purpose that is costing you in very real terms. Stop wasting your life in trivial pursuits.

Answers to these questions fill in the soul gaps—those places within us that we know are there, but aren't quite sure we want to or know how to get there. It can be a scary place to visit, like a closet of dashed hopes, painful memories, unrealized dreams, disappointments, and pain. On the other hand, it is also a journey of hope and healing to the heart of who you authentically are. Here's the only place on the planet where you can discover your true identity and begin the process of re-orienting your life on the strength, function, and contribution you have to give. Transformation begins in the spirit. Knowing and bringing expression to your purpose will raise the spiritual and practical trajectory of your life forever.

The On-Purpose Leader Experience starts with you. Come as you are. None of us have it together. We're all dysfunctional to some degree. Let the one who doesn't have a measure of chaos, confusion, hurt, distress, worry, or pain cast the first stone.

Join this six-week conversation (Sept. 24 – Oct. 29) that includes peer-to-peer interactions, phone and online on-purpose coaching from me, and more. Once a week we have a 30-40-minute live webcast that is recorded for replay later. You'll walk the steps of the man in The On-Purpose Person. You will:

Connect with on-purpose persons in creation in our private social network: The On-Purpose Planet
Write your two-word purpose statement
Clarify your core wants
Identify your TOP Want
Participate in live webcasts with me
Have access to webcast replays 24/7
Develop a meaningful time management approach
Get answers to the 7 Questions above

Here's a fun, easy-to-do, and efficient way to sound deeply into the spirit of who you are. What's more, you'll be creating systems and strategies that will save you time, help you to make better decisions, and eliminate costly detours. The upside is amazing. You'll discover:

Refreshing clarity and rare focus in your life
Authentic alignment from your heart outward
Clearer thinking to make wiser decisions
Renewed strength and energy
The abundance of being who you are and meant to be
An internal gyroscope to guide you
Improved confidence and growing personal leadership
The POWER of your Two-Word Purpose Statement

The On-Purpose Leader Experience Enrollment information:

Click here for: Single Enrollment: $197 — early bird: $147

Click here for: Dual (2 persons) Enrollment: $297 — early bird: $227

Guarantee: A 100% refund is available until the start of the third webcast.

Are You A Leader?

August 13, 2013 By kwmccarthy

I mentor a number of people. One of the most heartbreaking aspects of this work is to see people's leadership blinders. There are many ways of "acquiring" these blinders that needlessly bury and blind their leadership potential.

I've been gifted with eyes to see into the hearts of people and to have an inherent sense of their leadership potential. Frankly, this gift has a heartbreaking downside as I see people who cower from knowing who they really are and settle for less in this one lifetime.

I understand that it takes courage to find one's voice in the world. May I help you?

What Happened To Us? Was it a mentor or parent who failed to recognize your potential and polish the genius of your spirit? Perhaps it was abuse at the hands of a tyrant who pushed you down in order to build up himself or herself? Or is it simply the fear of being known and choosing to play life too safely? The reasons are many, yet the results are the same—being off-purpose and suffering the costs of being less than who we were intended to be and become.

Are you ready to reject mediocrity and begin majoring in your life? May I be your mentor for six weeks through The On-Purpose Leader Experience? Join other on-purpose persons as we go deep into the heart of being a leader to the spirit of who you are. This breakthrough Experience is hard to grasp on the front end, yet, I promise, you will not regret participating in it.

Each week of six, we delve into the On-Purpose Process in a fun, yet meaningful and respectful manner to help you get to the essence of who you are and how you can become a more confident, strong, and faithful leader of your life.

Click here for more information about The On-Purpose Leader Experience.

Happy New Year

January 1, 2013 By kwmccarthy

Clarity is the mid-point in the On-Purpose Process. Prior to clarity is chaos and confusion. While not an avoidable state of being, there's little benefit to residing in chaos and confusion any longer than necessary.

Clarity, however, is a beginning point for building and being on-purpose. So the word for 2013 is clarity. Seek it and once you find clarity, leverage it into greater service and opportunity so you can be more on-purpose.

By the way, a great FREE tool to use for finding clarity is the DIscover Guide preview printable ebook. Click the cover to be taken to the download area.

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