You might view being in alignment and having routine as similar ways of living. If that’s you, let me change the way you think about them.
If you are:
- Dreading starting the week on Monday;
- Watching the clock every hour from 9-5;
- Are comfortable every day not being pushed to grow;
This could be the first sign that you’re doing something wrong. This is what I like to call “being trapped” in a routine.
This is when you need to start thinking more about alignment.
But, how does this differ from routine?
Alignment is focus. It is knowing what lines up with your vision for your one chance at life. It’s saying no to distractions and yes to opportunities. It’s waking up every day with priorities, a plan, and daily goals. It’s knowing that even if it gets hard and you want to quit, you care so deeply about your fulfilling your purpose that quitting is not even an option.
Every day when I wake up I read my Eulogy. Sounds morbid, I know, but it reminds me of my why. It reminds me of the little girl I met on a mission trip who was so badly abused by her own father that she couldn’t even speak. Instantly, I remember that my why is to create opportunity for those who have none, like that little girl. By reading my Eulogy and remembering my why I can create alignment in my life.
So how do you go about changing your life to be more aligned?
- Write your Eulogy – Figure out what you want said about you when you’re gone.
- From your Eulogy, make a one sentence Purpose Statement and read that every day.
- Find ways to remind yourself of your why daily. I set my phone background as a reminder to this.
- If something in your life doesn’t line up or lead you to what wrote that you want said about you in your Eulogy, get rid of it. Those are distractions and you need to focus.
Do this today, make the next Monday the last Monday that you wake up dreading starting the week. Find your focus and align yourself with living out your purpose.