Before you can formulate your life plan, to establish your Purpose, you need to take inventory of your assets, strengths, liabilities and opportunities. Where and how are you unique? What can you offer others? What weaknesses do you need to address?

Before you can prepare a plan or establish your purpose you must know where you stand. Where does your greatness lie, what are you passionate about? How do you bring joy and inspiration to others?

Perhaps you bring joy and beauty to the world by growing beautiful flowers and plants like Lori Murphy. Maybe you are a florist like Terri Bath who brings joy to others through beautiful creations, even at times of sadness. A photographer like Michael Barone brings insight and a new perspective to life through his photographs.

You can bring comfort and inspiration to others through the pain that you have experienced like Yvonne Selle whose small child has cancer, or Diane Bucci who lost a child.

You need to take a personal assessment:

Strengths: We know we will succeed when we use our innate talents and abilities to their fullest. Unfortunately most people do not pay enough attention to their skill set or focus on their unique talents to discover what their significant advantage is. You cannot achieve greatness or establish your purpose until you recognize your strengths.

Weaknesses: Just like your strengths you must identify, recognize and face your weaknesses. You must work to improve or eliminate those traits or issues that stand in your way. You can avoid pain, difficulties and setbacks by working to eliminate or at least diminish your weaknesses.

Opportunities: We are presented with opportunities every day, we are surrounded by them. We are constantly given opportunities to improve someone’s life, to bring joy and inspiration, to be an example of passion and greatness. It is unfortunate that most of us do not pay attention to what is right in front of us, that we don’t notice or accept the chances that we hold in our hand to have a positive impact on others.

People like Ellen Carter and Beth Neybert grabbed the opportunity to be an inspiration to others through their ability to be positive about life even after they both lost their husbands at a far too young age.

Vicky Jasper and my Father took the opportunity to provide an inspiring example of strength by battling cancer and winning!

Yes, opportunities present themselves to us in all sorts of ways.

All of these things present us with an opportunity to establish our greatness and to define our purpose.

Lin L. wrote that her purpose was “Contribution – I teach, I volunteer, I grow, I give back, and I lead by example. All of these things contribute to the betterment of me, my friends, co-workers, students, and sometimes even a stranger or two. And when those times occur that I do lose my way, I am privileged to let others contribute to my betterment and put me back on the road to my true purpose.”

Denny B. said her purpose was “Presence: It is through presence – being fully aware in the present moment — that I become a channel for Higher Consciousness, through which understanding, compassion, peace, inspiration, joy, creativity, and passion can flow. “

And finally Alejandro C. said that his purpose was “Empower!
To spiritually, mentally and emotionally empower other human beings. “

So now that you have taken an assessment of your strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, what will you define as your purpose?