There are a lot of smart people out there telling you all the wrong things about your life’s purpose.

Maybe that’s a little harsh. I guess they’re not telling you the wrong things per se, perhaps I should say they are telling you the part you want to hear. It’s great because they are wetting your appetite for living a life that is on fire. However, it is generally with the promise that you simply have to do the things that make you happy.

It sounds great doesn’t it? Just do the stuff that you like doing and voila! You are living a life of purpose!

Of course, a life of purpose is supposed to bring financial prosperity, good relationships and spiritual wisdom. . .

So what gives?

My dog just does what he wants WAY more often than I do and he’s not wealthy!

I know plenty of toddlers that simply ‘do their thing’ but their relationships are entirely one sided and dependent on (not to mention dominated by) their parents.

The truth is that living a life of purpose is about much more than just doing what feels good. It IS about that, but it is also MORE than that.

A truly purposeful life is not a superficial one. Superficial desires create superficial fires and a superficial fire will never ignite something as magnificent and powerful as your soul. Having a good time is just not enough to fuel passion.

In fact, true passion is so much deeper than enjoyment that it drags you right into and through some of the hardest times of our lives. Passion has more in common with the force that drags a new parent out of bed in the middle of the night than it does with the desire to go surfing in Maui.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some people who are passionate about surfing, but for them it isn’t just something they enjoy. For those who are truly passionate, surfing is something they can’t live without.

The passionate are compelled.

They are driven by something deeper than joy.

And that is what all the soundbites and platitudes ignore. A life of purpose is not just about doing what you enjoy. It is about the blossoming, maturing and fruiting of what you find enjoyable in the first place.

It is about the deepening of your experience of life. It is about the richness and fullness of your very being. What is REALLY enjoyable? Would you rather be eating chocolate or sharing chocolate?

What is it that adds value and depth and meaning to our lives? Where does your ULTIMATE joy reside?

Seek that answer and you will find the fuel that will light your soul on fire.

I’ll even give you a hint. It has nothing to do with WHAT you are doing and everything to do with HOW and WHY you are doing it.

Breathe Deeply. Meditate. Just playing games all the time will only wring you out. You must deepen your life to find your passion.

When you find it you will work your fingers to the bone and you will do it joyfully for the sake of your passion. Even the most impossible obstacles and frustrating circumstances will not dissuade you from the embrace you seek.

The deeper your appreciation of what really brings joy, the more powerful and relentless your passion will be.

Wishing you deep richness and fulfillment,
Michael SunSpirit.