Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

on-purpose

Living Longer with Purpose

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You know of my passion about purpose and living on-purpose.  A friend sent me a link to an article: a recent study of seniors and how those with a stronger sense of purpose live longer than those without.  It doesn't matter what the purpose is.

"It can be anything — from wanting to accomplish a goal in life, to
achieving something in a volunteer organization, to as little as reading a
series of books," said study author Dr. Patricia Boyle, a
neuropsychologist at the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and an assistant
professor of behavioral sciences at Rush University Medical Center in
Chicago.

Read the rest of the article here.

Join me.  Live long on-purpose!

See Kevin’s Interview on The Good Life

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Watch The Good Life with Ken Mikesell and Barbara Beck.  TV45

Kevin's interview airs on March 2nd & March 5th at 7:30AM, 12:00PM, 3:00PM, & 8:00PM on station WTGL.

The Good Life is on channel 45 in the Central Florida area.  For Brighthouse customers, tune in to channel 19.

For those not in Central Florida, you can see the interview on WTGL's web site after the episode airs.

True Generosity

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Giving out of joy and thanksgiving for our blessings and abundance are the building
blocks for true generosity.

In The On-Purpose Person, the Professor tells the man, "Knowing yourself
better means you're more aware of your special gifts and talents that especially
qualify you to serve. No one else in the world is exactly like you. Someone or some
cause needs you. Think of them as your 'customers' or 'audience' awaiting your performance.

"From this appreciation of yourself, you will naturally share from your strength. Your
prior mind-set may have been one of scarcity rather than abundance. Trust your instinct to give with joy."

During this holiday season, even though our country is in a time of economic turmoil,
remember that On-Purpose® is to serve by giving from our strength in spite of the conditions about us. You may not be able to change the world, but you can make a difference in the world about you. One simple act of kindness offered in thanksgiving is all it takes. And then repeat as the Spirit leads you.

Purpose or Purposes

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You have only one purpose in life.   Once you know that purpose, you are to align your life and make choices consistent with it so you are on your purpose, rather than off your purpose.  That’s the essential message of being on-purpose.

In business, and especially in the church community, many people write about their “purposes.”  Note the use of the plural form, a recent pop culture invention mostly due to Pastor Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life in which he tells people they have five purposes of Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, and Evangelism.  These are missions of the church, not purposes.  For all the good Pastor Warren’s book is doing, it is ultimately confusing people at the core of their being, but it is getting them engaged in life more profoundly.

You do not have many purposes in life.   You may have multiple visions and missions, but only one purpose.  You may have many reasons for doing something, but only one will to do it. (Read more about the subtle differences between purpose, vision, mission, and values by clicking on this sentence.)

Need further proof of the singular nature of purpose?   The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary doesn’t provide a plural for purpose.  Purpose is inherently singular.

For example, here is an excerpt from a devotional I read today, “God
will provide the necessary circumstances to accomplish His purposes in
your life.” This is incorrect because of the plural use of the word.  God has one purpose for your life, and, yes, he will arrange the circumstances.  To push the point just a bit further, let’s replace purposes with the word will.  This is a more accurate description of the usage.  God has one will, not a plurality of wills.

Reason and purpose are frequently interchanged.  Life purpose is a person’s one reason for being or raison d’etre.  Purpose in lieu of reason is an appropriate, but a less effective word choice.  Purpose is deeply about one’s intention or will.   I appreciate that one can have many reasons for doing something, but there is one intention.  To be otherwise is to be double-minded or confused.  That is the very challenge purpose clarifies for you.  You can’t have purposes or be on-purposes. The logic and semantics don’t support the concept of purpose – plural.

Avoid getting caught up in this sloppiness of use.  Strike the non-word purposes from your vocabulary. Purpose is a truly special and remarkably powerful word as applied to one’s life purpose.  Seek the singleness of strength of being of one mind, body, and spirit and you will be on-purpose.

Your comments are always invited.

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

On-Purpose® Radio Interview

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Listen for free to a 23 minute radio interview (MP3) with Kevin W. McCarthy by James Burkhardt on radio station WORL in Orlando.  James asks great questions regarding business matters for small and medium sized companies.  Join James and Kevin on Focus Orlando Radio Show as they talk about marketing, people, financing, target audiences, and business growth.  Learn how to do business on-purpose.

Recorded on May 10, 2008

189 Pounds – Thanks Dr. Andersen & Take Shape For Life

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I did it!  This morning I weighed 189 pounds!  That means I've lost weight to the tune of 51 pounds since January 1!   My goal was to get under 200 pounds; however, my coach, Lori Andersen, encouraged me to go the extra 10 pounds.   Honestly, as positive and goal oriented as I am, I just couldn't believe that I would ever be under 190 pounds again without the "help" of an illness. 

The journey has actually been a lot easier than I imagined thanks to the combination Medifast meal replacements and the personal involvement of having a coach from Medifast's coaching division: Take Shape For Life.  Co-founder, Dr. Wayne Andersen, is an amazing source of inspiration, education, and vision.  His vision for the Health Coaches to get America healthy is one thing.   How that vision translates to each client is another.  I'm living proof and a huge fan!

[please note, the photo on my blog will be updated with a new one soon.  This shot is me at 240 pounds.  You'll see the new me soon.  Yesterday we had a photo shoot so a new Kevin will be appearing soon.]

[Read more…] about 189 Pounds – Thanks Dr. Andersen & Take Shape For Life

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

Who Am I?

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Few questions haunt us as much as the "Who Am I?" question.  If you don’t know who you are, then the entirely to your life, despite your accomplishments, is lived under your potential.  Sobering thought, huh?

Within this blog, you’ll gain a clear and powerful answer to the "Who am I?" question and its companions that I call Life’s Great Questions.  Each is worthy of Great Answers, yet most of us are too busy to ask, let alone ponder and sufficiently answer each question.  Great Answers will transform your life forever.

Consider your answers to the following "Who Am I?" questions:

[Read more…] about Who Am I?