The Professor of On-Purpose
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When you order the book online with us, be sure to use the comment section if you would like to have the book personalized and autographed. This offer expires on Monday, Dec. 21 at noon.
Casting Crowns is a contemporary Christian band that just had an article written about them entitled Casting Crowns On Purpose. In the article, the front man, Mark Hall, shares what it means to have a "life on purpose." He is really close to understanding the power and potential of being on-purpose.
Back in the late 1980s when I was teaching about on-purpose in the positive, it was very novel. Until that time, most people would use on purpose to negate a negative, such as, "I didn't mean to spill my milk on purpose." I knew then, as I still do today that I am pioneering a positive concept whose time has yet to come. Even today, most people are seeking their purpose, rather than the follow through of living or being on-purpose.
I envisioned the day when the words and concept of being on-purpose would be in the popular culture. Well, it continues to creep into everyday use more and more as the Casting Crowns article indicates. I must admit a certain measure of joy mixed with disappointment because
the general use of purpose is misunderstood and the concept / lifestyle
of being on-purpose is used far too cavalierly.
Pastor Rick Warren's work, The Purpose Driven Life popularized the use of purpose; unfortunately, it was a watered down version of the concept. Oh well, I persevere in this calling trusting the results to God.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
Maria Carter and I met at an On-Purpose Person workshop I conducted in San Diego around 1995. She bubbled with enthusiasm for life and people. She has a voice and spirit that is positively uplifting.
At the time we met, Maria had a dream of helping people learn to love themselves more fully. I'm proud to 
recommend her book, Fall In Love With Your Life Forever. This work is an expression of her purpose and is true gift to women who struggle with their inner critic. Go to her website and order the book today.
Guys, it is a great gift to give to women in your life. Wives, daughters, and mothers alike will benefit from calming their self critical voice and allowing their true selves to emerge on-purpose. Not only will her life be better, but so will yours. If momma is happy, then everyone is happy. ; )
The On-Purpose Leader program based on The On-Purpose Person was a meaningful event. Here are the attendees after the event. All were from the East Coast from South Florida to Baltimore, MD. We had a tax lawyer, several health coaches, a COO, entrepreneur, several people from financial services and insurance, two married couples, and an HR executive.
The joy of these programs for me is the chance to get to know new and existing people in a deep and profound manner beyond the typical chit-chat. There's an intimacy and closeness that happens in these events.
Cindy Hedgepeth (red blouse) did a fabulous job of co-facilitating the program with me. This globe trotting trainer is gracious enough to take a day and work with me on these programs.
I look forward to seeing each of these participants again. One of the things we do is offer a 50% discount to returning alumni and a guest on a space available basis. I have a feeling we will see some of them again as they go to the next level of being on-purpose. In the meantime, please keep them all in your prayers as they've taken some remarkable steps to examine their lives and invest in making their futures on-purpose. Special thanks also to Mary Richardson and John Smith who volunteered to pray for the group, Cindy, and me in preparation and during the program.
Welcome these new On-Purpose Leaders!
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
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!
John Francis has a remarkable personal and professional story. He is an intelligent man with a warm and gentle spirit that I personally find engaging and attractive. I'm profiling him here, however, not necessarily for his vocation within the environmental field; that is noble in his niche. More importantly, here's a man who has silently and literally walked into his calling only to discover the importance that going more deeply into who he is requires change, release, and willingness to leave the past behind and to step into the present and future in spite of the risks of losing one's known identity.
This video featuring John Francis on TED is compelling – a 20-minute peek into a man making a difference based on the strength of his convictions, yet recognizing how his strength had become a prison. Toward the very end of John Francis' talk, you'll learn life lessons about the On-Purpose® process that is always underway in our lives.
One day in 1983, John Francis stepped out on a walk. For the next 22 years, he trekked and sailed around North and South America, carrying a message of respect for the Earth — for 17 of those years, without speaking. During his monumental, silent trek, he earned an MA in environmental studies and a PhD in land resources.
Today his Planetwalk foundation consults on sustainable development and works with educational groups to teach kids about the environment.
Wow! What a difference a year makes! One year ago today I began Day One of the Take Shape For Life program. At the time I weighed 230 pounds – down from 239 on Jan. 1.
I lost my first 9 pounds by exercising it off – "the first gear way" is the way I refer to that now. "High gear" is the TSFL way. That is to get into a fat burning stage where the fat burns away and the lean muscle mass remains.
My health coach, Lori Andersen, helped me set a goal to lose 30 pounds. For me to weigh 200 pounds was frankly unimaginable – I thought it would require an amputation of a leg. More accurately, I set my 200 pound goal weight goal because I thought less wasn't realistic. Truth be told, Lori encouraged me to consider 190 pounds as my stretch goal weight.
Was I a skeptic? You bet! I have a sweet tooth that doesn't stop wanting chocolate, Hot Tamales, caramels, and ice cream. Couple this with a pizza habit and you've got the makings of an early demise for the pioneer of being On-Purpose!
I chronicled my return to health on these blog pages, so I encourage you to read the Health & Fitness Category starting on April 4, 2008. The real question in your mind is, "So, Kevin, what do you weigh today? Have you kept the weight off?"
This morning I weighed 191! The weight I lost, I've kept off. More importantly, I'm living the BESLIM approach and developing the Habits of Health (see special offer below).
To top it all off, my wife, Judith, caught the vision of TSFL when I spoke at the National Convention in July 2008. She joined the ranks of TSFL as a health coach and is experiencing the joy of helping clients share my experience. She is back to her college weight. Now a few of her clients are becoming health coaches. Dr. A's vision is to "Get America Healthy." Judith is a part of that movement. If you're looking for a health coach or to learn more here's a link to Judith's web site: www.certifiedhealthadvisor.com.
Take Shape For Life has changed my life… my family's health and life. This is the power of having a well-designed system that works and simply engaging the genius of others to my benefit. Thank you TSFL, Medifast, and Dr. A and Lori. Special thanks go to my dear friend, Janet Cronstedt, who introduced me to Dr. A.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin
On-Purpose Health Bundle: Through April 15, we're offering a special package that includes Dr. A's Habits of Health, an amazing book, and The On-Purpose Person ebook. Normally, both would be $54.95. Through April 15, we're selling both for $35.95 – a savings of $19! Click the book image to go to our shopping cart.
I wanted to have a purpose. This was the front page headline of the March 18, 2009 Orlando Sentinel. The article by Kate Santich, a staff writer, portrays how people out of work are making the positive decision to volunteer more and are finding surprising rewards.
Dr. Ivan Misner, the founder of BNI (Business Network International) says, "Givers Gain." Having invested a couple of hours with me on the telephone on two separate occasions, I can tell you this man lives his motto.
To the people featured in Ms. Santich's front page article – Larry Szrom, Janet Morris, Claudia Mayes, and Yesennia Cruz, I must give a tip of the hat for taking their job loss and turning it into someone else's gain. Yes, givers gain. What they are sowing is returning to them in fresh ways.
So thanks Kate Santich for some great reporting, sharing these personal stories, and seeing good in the midst of loss. Thanks to those featured in the article for providing hope, inspiration, and direction for those frozen due to a job loss and financial stress. Those featured express a virtue of being an on-purpose person – service.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin